Frigid Winds and Burning Hearts
by Grey Prophet
Summary: A heated confrontation with Celestia over her portrayal as Nightmare Moon and her sister's authoritarianism leads Luna to search for answers about the past, unwittingly tangling Twilight and her friends into a cosmic struggle between order and liberty.
1. Chapter 1

Frigid Winds and Burning Hearts

The biting north wind blew across the lands of Equestria, carrying upon its breath the promise of an early winter. Everypony, from the mighty citadel-capitol of Canterlot to the humble village of Ponyville, took shelter from the fell notice; its howling call may just as well have been that of a pack of wolves outside their doorways. That is save one pony overlooking the lands from her mountain perch. Well, "pony" is perhaps unfitting to describe a living-deity out performing her daily task of seeing to the proper upkeep of the night-sky. Yet, obscured by its dark shroud, one would be blameless for mistaking the alicorn goddess for a commoner. Her stature paled in relation to her sister Celestia and, fair or not, the sun goddess was the standard of what ponies had come to expect from a divine being.

But this was not what troubled Luna.

Well, in a very small way it did. The ancient issue of respect was close to Luna, but she was never too keen of being too visible to her subjects, and her low-key appearance aided her in this endeavor. In fact, she found her natural form quite liberating as she did not need to don the pretensions of divinity and was therefore not constrained by the order and duty it entailed. Unlike her sister.

Yes, Luna was quite unlike Celestia. The obvious dichotomy the two represent manifested itself daily to the world in the very nature of the cycle the goddesses put into motion: Celestia's single, massive star subjugating the skies to conform to a uniform blue and Luna's multitude of stars shining and swirling across the chaotic void were fitting descriptions for their respective personalities.

Celestia was a leader, an apt, pragmatic politician who was keen with preserving the status quo. Celestia's dear student of a past age, Marechiavelli, had compiled her observations of her teacher and employed them in supporting her treatise, _The Princess. _The work was largely suppressed by the court at Canterlot, but nonetheless depicted Celestia's statecraft with deftness and insight. The goddess was a mare of many masks, a vital quality that allowed her the fluidity needed to survive as supreme ruler of Equestria for two millennia. Over the centuries, her public life and private life had become blurred and the former gradually came to dominate her personality, though this isn't to say she had lost her famous sense of humor or any other aspect of her personality. Luna could attest to that. But even these light hearted characteristics had become increasingly just more tools in her political war-chest.

Luna, on the other hand, was no politician. She was a free spirit compelled to shatter the shackles of the ordinary and challenge her subjects to confront the unknown. The princess of the night was the patron and inspiration of all artists, those ponies who accepted her invitation to peer deeper into the inner-workings of both the natural and social world. Of the works of her many admirers, Luna loved Beethooven's _Moonlight Sonata_ above all. It invoked the tranquility and peace of her night while providing the intellectual stimuli conducive to creating something wholly new and beautiful, and this she did daily with her wonderful welkin. Being a relatively undisciplined free spirit, however, left Luna susceptible to letting her passions impair her judgment and dilute her overarching objectives for change and reform, ones quite unpopular with Celestia...

It was just this fact that had brought Luna to the lonely mountain just outside Ponyville. As she stared up at the cosmos, the faint light of the stars reflected in her soft tears causing them to glisten; a final, tender act of comfort that both concluded and made worthy the ancient journey of her celestial rays. The wind, however, was no friend of the goddess. Her tears were buffeted by the chilling breeze, cutting at her flesh like a knife grating against stone. Her dark blue face was tinged with red, but the wind's harsh caress was not the sole cause for this; a pony need only look into her eyes to be assured. In them reflected the indignation and confusion in her heart, Luna's usual prescription of solitude doing little to allay her seething emotions. But then why would it?

She had confronted Celestia.

It was the first time she had done so since her madness was cast off by the Elements of Harmony one short year ago. Trying to beat back her emotional impulses, Luna focused on recounting what had occurred this evening in her mind.

Celestia and Luna were walking together from their quarters to one of the great dining halls of their castle. Luna was starving, having absent-mindedly passed over lunch. A little irritable, she quipped at Celestia.

"I don't see why we have to wait so long before we go seat ourselves at _our_ table and eat something. Don't you ever get tired of this endless pomp and procedure? I mean, I would be fine with a hay sandwich, well, maybe a side salad too. It's a tad bit extravagant to put on such a pointless fea-".

Celestia stopped her there.

"Luna, you know full well that I would much rather have a quick meal with you and relax for awhile away from this…incorrigible lot, but these dinners serve their function. It's important to not appear distant to the nobility, you know. I have to assure them that we are serving their interests, even though we may not be. Please behave yourself, and I promise that we can prepare a more private dinner for us later this week."

"There, she did it again", Luna thought, her eyes rolling, "Trying to buy me off as if I were a foal to be pacified. "

Quickly picking up the fact Luna was peeved, Celestia realized what she had done. "Luna, I'm so sorry, it's just that I've been working on breaking up and redistributing the unproductive fields the nobility neglec-."

"Not doing their intended jobs, eh Celly? _Surprising_." Luna sneered, taking to the air and spinning around her sister casually.

"—t so that more farmers can produce to feed the demands of the growing population. The poor harvest this year isn't helping either…"

"Celestia, why must we keep these "nobles" around after all these centuries still? I always thought them to be a bunch of lazy, pretentious hacks when I ruled at Everfree all those years ago, but their heirs are even more useless…"

Celestia turned to her sister with a stern look.

"_Enough_, Luna. I don't like their elitist airs anymore than you. But you know why. You're no foal," she said with exasperation as they neared the dining room, "so please don't bring this issue up at the banquet. It took me a century to fix the damage your last outburst caused."

Luna's eyes widened and her body froze as Celestia passed her and entered the dining hall. It was the first time Celestia had mentioned their fight; the fact that it was in such a passive aggressive manner made it even worse. She descended on hoof and tried to shake it off before entering the hall, but the blood had drained from her face and her mind was a thousand miles away as she faintly heard the familiar announcements.

"Mares and Gentlecolts, the Princess Celestia and her sister, Princess Luna."

Luna heard the sound of a few hundred ponies rising from their seats at once in perfect orchestra. She quickly shook her head in an attempt to regain focus as she entered the great hall, but it did little to stave off her shock. As she took her seat next to her sister at the head table and everypony sat down, Luna desperately searched out something to distract herself from Celestia's cold words. Thankfully, the opulence of the hall and the droves of elite provided a significant amount of distraction fodder for the princess.

Admittedly, Luna had never actually attended a banquet in the hall. Heck, she had hardly met anypony present. After she had been cured of her ills, Luna kept a low profile in her quarters studying modern history and science in an upward-hill struggle to grasp the contemporary world. Though aspects of technology and chemistry often frazzled her, history was, at first, a pleasure. It showed Luna that Celestia had allowed the ponies to progress, even in the realm of governance. A few centuries after Luna's departure, Celestia had established a parliamentary body consisting of nobles and members of the bourgeoisie. As time passed, the assembly took on a democratic character with representatives catering to their constituent interests rather than class interests. Luna's heart rejoiced at this, thinking it as a sign that the monarchy had outlived its usefulness and that the goddesses could finally begin to detach themselves from the affairs of ponies and live life free, just what she had wanted to so long ago…

Through more reading, however, Luna found that Celestia still was still the ultimate authority in nearly _all affairs_, from local boundary disputes to national defense spending. Equestria's political history was clear; no major party could effectively challenge Celestia. The common-pony's reverence for the goddess in their midst was a powerful political force that made it unnecessary for Celestia to dispose of her opposition directly, helping her to maintain her immaculate public appearance while allowing her to bend the system to her will. Parliament was Celestia's tool, an illusory democracy designed to pacify revolution and maintain the status quo. History became more unpleasant for Luna as this reality dawned on her. Celestia was still enthralled by her power drive…

"No!" Luna thought "Stop thinking about the past! Think of something else! Look at the hall,

isn't it lovely?"

Indeed, the hall was an impressive sight. It was far grander than any room at the Everfree Castle had ever been. Mighty, classical columns rowed the entire length of the hall, each gilded with gold and silver along its grooves. Five long tables of solid oak dominated the room, four of the tables parallel with the head table running perpendicular to them and elevated. The number of tapestries and banners, however, caught Luna's eyes, each depicting Celestia's triumphs over the centuries or the coat-of-hooves of some insipid noble family. She saw that a few of them were of her raising the moon, and nothing else. Of course her _politique_ of a sister would make sure little Luna got her shout out, but she thought it strange that it was the sole feat Celestia found her noteworthy of. Had Equestria forgotten her expulsion of the parasprites, the defense she led to safeguard Stalliongrad against the onslaught of an army of trolls, or her eclipse that had blinded the Dragon Lord Ragrog? She may not be a great leader, but Luna had intervened in the past numerous times to ensure her subjects immediate safety. Oh, why did she skip over early

medieval Equestrian history?

"No, no, no!" Luna thought again, "I can't dwell on this, oh, why can't we just eat or dance or whatever?! Is there somepony here I can talk to…"

Her eyes searched the room desperately for a familiar face. Hopefully Celestia wouldn't be mad if she trotted off for a bit…

But then it caught her attention.

A long, worn-looking banner decorated with a thousand images contained a scene that sent a shiver down Luna's spine. It was the picture of a black alicorn lying subdued before a white one with a pink mane. The memory of the past hit her fast and hard and soon the princess found herself again trapped in a web of anxiety.

"Welcome to tonight's banquet, everypony."

Celestia's voice snapped Luna back to reality.

"Nobles." Celestia turned to the left, where the multitude of coat-of-hooves was clustered.

"Members of parliament." She said, turning to the right and giving a quick wink. Seeing their cue, the servants emerged from the kitchen ready to serve the prepared feast.

"It pleases me that so many of you decided to attend the festivities, despite the recent fiasco at the gala. As you can see before you, such bravery does not go unrewarded! I know you all have waited long for this to start, so, for the sake of our appetites, let us skip the formalities for now, shall we? So please, eat and be merry!"

Luna looked at her sister with a smile, Celestia's sweet, comforting voice and light-hearted comments dispelling Luna's immediate anxiety attack. As Celestia took her seat again, Luna smirked and gave her insightful critique:

"Good speech. Nice and short."

"Leaves more time for drinking!" Celestia replied as wine filled their goblets. The two laughed as they toasted and put the cups to their lips. Reassured of her sister's love and respect for her, Luna felt much better, but the image of the alicorns continued to gnaw at the back of her mind. Celestia's focus was diverted by some noble or minister, so Luna turned her attention to the other ponies sitting at the table. The pony sitting next to her was a rather large white unicorn with a star resembling the points of a compass on his flank. His fore hooves were adorned with smooth silver bracelets and his torso covered by an elegant tuxedo. He turned to Luna and began speaking in an accent dripping with everything she hated about Celestia's little caste system.

"Oh, Aunt Luna! Such a surprise it is to see you at Aunt Celestia's table. From the way I heard it,

you were still completely native."

There were several things with the unicorn's words that caused a look of confusion to wash over

Luna's face, but one stuck out in particular. Lifting an eyebrow, she replied:

"Uh, 'Aunt'? Excuse me, but do I know you?"

The unicorn looked indignant as he responded.

"My auntie, I am not like you in at least one respect. Everypony knows me for I am Prince Blueblood of the House of Haysburg. I am the object of adoration of many as my valorous feats of daring and intrigue are well recorded by periodicals-"

"Tabloids" a nearby pony coughed.

"_Of excellent repute_."

"You're…a prince? I can't say I really believe you, and, uh, do I have a sister I don't know of?"

"Here are my papers, _dear aunt_" Blueblood responded haughtily, using his magic to present a large scroll to the princess. "I carry them at all times for the rare occasion I cross a skeptic, like you."

"Of course you do." Luna said as she rolled her eyes. As she looked at the ancient looking parchment, she completed her thought "You sad, little foal." It was indeed an extensive genealogy, but as Luna scanned the older branches, the names devolved back into Old Equestrian and then to an even older script, Thracian. Luna knew the language and writing quite well, however, and proceeded to the patriarch of the House of Haysburg. "My little long lost brother", she chuckled to herself. And there he was, his name clearly written by Celestia herself. The great and powerful δενάλογο, or rather "Nopony". Luna's amusement with the document was piqued by her sister's ancient joke, and she burst into a fit of laughter. It was so terribly simple and cliché, but Luna simply couldn't help herself, to her the timing was all too perfect and fitting.

"Ha! My, oh why yes, this is…this is, INCREDIBLE, "nephew"…Bwaha! Should I crack out my copy of _Lord of the Bridles _for reference? It's in the appendices, right? Haha!"

Prince Blueblood gave a look of shock as Luna let go of the document, nearly dunking the weathered parchment into a bowl of steaming carrot soup. His magic was just able to save the only thing sparing him from bucking apples out in the boonies. He turned to Luna, who was now banging the table with her right hoof as she continued to laugh loudly, and mustered up every pretentious fiber in his being to give Luna such a look of contempt and bewilderment that would put even a goddess to shame.

Well, that's not exactly how it panned out for old Blueblood. Luna hardly noticed the white unicorn as she continued banging the table. As the fates would ordain it, this soon changed as Luna's hoof hit the dreaded carrot soup, sending it flying. If the villainous bowl couldn't ruin the idiot prince's life, it was going to make damn sure he gave the bastard a scalding burn, perhaps leave a little scar as a reminder too. With its destiny before it, the bouillabaisse bomb sailed perfectly into the muzzle of the unlucky (but deserving) prince.

_As Barry Bowl hit the floor, the inanimate object knew it had earned its place in the pantheon of its fellows, accompanying such illustrious notables as Mr. Turnip and Rocky for all eternity._

A gruff roar silenced the entire hall. Celestia, who up to this point was dealing with a difficult old aristocrat and writing off Luna's obnoxious behavior as typical, turned abruptly to the unpleasant scene to her side, mouth agape. Luna's amusement turned quickly to silence as she noticed the enraged and burned unicorn before her. Embarrassed, a shade of red tinted her blue complexion.

"Uhh…Nephew! I'm so, so sorry abou-" 

"You…you…WITCH! You wretched demon what have you done to my beautiful face!" Prince Blueblood exploded, leveling his burnt face with Luna's "Celestia should have put you to the sword 1000 years ago when your power lust drove you to exterminate all life! Your second coming no different! You genocidal barbarian, you wicked beast, you…NIGHTMARE MOON! Cursed be your name, may all remember you as the _murderer_ and uncivilized power _whore_ that you are. You jealous tyrant! May Celestia damn you to the moon, _forever this time_!"

With that he raised his hoof and smacked her face. Seconds later several guards had tackled and subdued the furious prince. Luna had not expected much pain, she was, after all, an immortal otherwise impervious to mortal means of injury. But she felt the full force of the brawny pony's hoof bashing against the side of her head. She felt dizzy and disoriented. Perhaps the pony was cut from immortal cloth? No, that was impossible. Why did this hurt so much?

As Luna regained her focus, she felt a stream of blood drip from the side of her face. Blood. She had not bled since that day 1000 years ago. Her eyes widened in amazement as she turned around the silent room. Everypony stared at her with equal shock. Not only had they watched their goddess insulted, but they had also seen her bleed. Luna's mind drifted back to Prince Blueblood's words. She was the power whore? Genocide? What was the meaning of this?

And then it caught her eye again. The black and white alicorns. That day.

"Celestia wouldn't, she wouldn't!" Luna thought, tears welling.

Her sister was making a damage control speech, but Luna didn't hear it, she couldn't. She was so distressed at the dark revelation her mind was piecing together, she didn't even hear the final venomous words of Prince Blueblood as the Royal Guard took him away.

"_She saw me as a threat. Once I was gone, she lied and crafted her own history. History? More like a morality tale. Good, evil. Celestia, Luna. Perhaps shutting me up in that rock for a millenium was just frosting on the cake, the final dressing needed to prove to the world that I was always an evil monster. But I know what happened, I know that I was not Nightmare Moon when I fought my sister. I alone know the truth of that day." _

As Luna thought this over, her emotions began to bleed into her mind.

"_She doesn't love me. I'm just another pawn in her game, to be used or cast away when needed...just like all her other subjects..."_

As Luna came to this conclusion, a worried Celestia trotted towards her and nuzzled her.

"Luna, are you all right? How is it tha-Luna!"

Luna broke away from her sister and fled the banquet hall, blood and tears streaming as she ran to her room. As she reached her destination, she slammed the door and ran out to her balcony and threw herself on the ground.

How could Celestia do that? No wonder everypony hated her. It wasn't just the brief Summer Sun disruption; it was a long history of systematic demonization.

Her tears dried as sadness turned to rage.

"Luna!"

The moon princess turned sharply and glared at her older sister. Celestia was taken aback at Luna's animosity towards her, it was unlike her sister to be so angry.

"Luna, please, let's get your wound treated. I'm sorry about the prince, but I warned you not to bring those sorts of issues up."

"No Celly, I'm glad I did." Luna sniffed "That smack to my face did wonders for me!"

"Wha-what do you mean?" Celestia asked in confusion.

"Sis, please don't play dumb with me. I know it has worked this far, but no longer." Luna paused and looked at the moon. "Do you remember why you set me to that rock? Do you remember what crime I had committed to deserve a thousand years of loneliness, sorrow, and madness?"

Celestia did not respond.

"You don't? Well, let me refresh your memory, because you won't find it in any of your history books. I wanted you to stop ruling and let our creation tend to itself. Once I assembled a group of influential…nobles…to write you what we called back then "the great letter", you had little patience for me. You said I didn't understand government, that I was going down a path riddled with chaos and uncertainty that would ensure Equestria's ruin. I guess that's why you made me look like a second Discord...no, not a second, you made me look _worse than Discord_!" Luna shouted, not relenting for a second.

"Luna, please," Celestia began, her eyes filled with tears "your actions threatened to destabilize everything we had worked so hard to build up! You wanted to pass our rule into the hands of a mob of mortals, a lot doomed to die. It would be a never ending succession struggle for power! Civil war and slaughter would have been inevitable had you been able to carry out your misguided plan, ones even more terr-..."

"Celestia, many other nations do without deities running their affairs," Luna cut off coldly.

"Er, yes, and they haven't had the blessing of divine protection that accompanies it," Celestia answered, adapting to the conversation as needed. Even after a thousand years, the sun goddess knew how her sister was prone to shift topics at will without finishing the first.

"Sister!" Luna shouted "That's just the problem! You've treated our creation like it was a giant, retarded foal that needs constant care instead of letting it grow! Your justifications are just rationalizing the issue! That's what you always do! We are goddesses, and even we cannot make such predictions."

"History shows us…"

"History shows nothing Celly! You are this nation's history! We know nothing else but absolute rule!"

"So what if I rule from my throne? Without my guidance, parliament would be nothing more than a breeding ground of endless bickering and fighting. It is only through my strength that peace and prosperity has reigned in this land for two thousand years. Would you see that end just because it's not perfect or ideal?"

"It's nowhere close to perfect, you cannot even call this elitist sham a democracy!" Luna rebuked, "Remember Celly, we made this country for them, _not us_!"

Celestia stood in silence. Luna had never succeeded in overcoming her sister's skills in persuasion before, so she took the opportunity to drive the nail in deeper.

"The day you banished me to the moon…a day I lived over and over again as I wandered my barren prison…I will never fully understand. I know _why_ you did it, I mean, it doesn't take an expert to see that I was the greatest threat to your authority. But _how_ could you do it!? Your only sister, your sole equal!?"

"Luna..." Celestia's stammered "I—I didn't kn- I thought a millennia would be enough to let our creation grow in an environment free from your…your…radicalism. I was protecting them from something they weren't ready for—"

"And a thousand years have passed and they're no more ready! I guess I'm due another banishment, huh?" Luna interjected furiously, "Enough about protection and security! You know deep down you stay here for the power."

Celestia's eyes narrowed, her voice tinged with shock and rage "Ho-how dare you, Luna! Are you calling me a tyrant?"

"Yes! Your world may be fat and content, Celestia, but it is only because the world you gave them is the only one they know, and it is a _lie._ "

Luna paused, watching the wind scatter Celestia's soft tears.

"What do you see yourself as, Celestia?! A benevolent ruler? A princess beyond politics? A nurturing mother? Are those the lies you decieve yourself with?"

Celestia tried to avert her eyes, but Luna met her sister's gaze again and moved in closer "Being a goddess isn't enough, is it Celly? Nature is beautiful, but boring in comparison to the ponies that populate our fair land. Each with her own story and a journey, a special talent and a dream. It's much more fun to play with them then fly among the empty heavens and watch, isn't it? Your beloved student Twilight Sparkle is an excellent case and point, isn't she?"

At the sound of the young mare's name, Celestia's ears perked up.

"Yes, Twilight Sparkle, my savior." Luna continued, her thoughts and feelings pouring out like floodgates releasing a mighty river "it's a good thing you had her assemble the Elements of Harmony to cure me of my insanity and fill my heart with forgiveness. Eternal night? That's what a thousand years of unjust imprisonment does to a pony, even a goddess!"

"Luna, I apologized for what I did, but I…I" Celestia began to cry, taking Luna off-guard. "I can't let go, they need me!"

"No sister." Luna said coldly "You need them. Certainly so now that I too am…mortal."

Celestia looked at her sister confused and scared.

"No, no, Luna—"

"Don't cry for me, dear sister." Luna shouted, the flames of rage growing in her heart "No, I can only guess that your dear student purged my immortality along with the shell of Nightmare Moon. But look on the bright side Celly, with me dead you can reign unchallenged and alone for all eternity! You asked me if you were a tyrant. If you aren't already now, you will be when I'm gone."

Celestia fell to the floor weeping. Luna couldn't stand the sight, she wanted to comfort her sister.

But Celestia needed this and so did Luna.

Spreading her wings, Luna flew upwards, the cold wind brushing against her feathers. With tears in her eyes and anger in her heart, the moon goddess spoke her departing words:

"The prince said I was jealous. Of you, I assume. But he couldn't be further from the truth.

Celestia, I never have nor do I want to be you; a slave to power and ambition! My only wish is that if you leave any record of me, let it contain those very words so that Equestria may know that I was not the Nightmare you depicted me as but rather the Dream that never was!"

With that, she flew into the night with reckless speed, not looking back for a second. Her mind remained tormented by conflicting emotions, anger and compassion, despair and love, until they blurred together into a primitive drive to escape. No better place in Equestria existed for this than the lonely mountain before her. As her hooves hit the mountainside, she collapsed emotionally exhausted and physically weary.

Reflecting on what happened eased Luna's mind a bit, but it also brought to mind some questions she still had not answered. How could she have been injured? Sure she told Celestia an idea, but it was purely conjecture. As brave as Luna was about the whole issue in front of her sister, she was scared out of her mind. The idea of her dying was impossible for Luna to grasp.

"Well, at least Celly has to grapple with it too," Luna told herself, "I can only hope it will make her reevaluate her outlook on things. Just the idea tha maybe she'd give up some of her authority and go home...Only good can come of it."

_Yes...but you could die._

The thought sent a shiver down her spine.

"No" she thought "I don't even know if I'm a mortal for sure. I should to talk to somepony about this and see if we can't find out just what's really wrong with me."

She couldn't return to Canterlot, her sister needed time to do her own soul searching. As she gazed across the land from the mountain, she saw a quaint village not too far from her position. She recognized it as the site of her return and home of the Elements of Harmony, Ponyville. Luna smiled at the convenience, for if any mortal could aid a goddess, it was Celestia's beloved student, Twilight Sparkle.

With the cold wind to her back, she spread her wings and took off, gliding across the moonlit sky towards Ponyville.

A little revision, I hope you guys find this acceptable.


	2. Chapter 2

Frigid Winds and Burning Hearts

Part 2

Before reaching the sleepy village, Luna descended on hoof a safe distance away. She needed to be cautious; if there was any place in Equestria that would have good reason to harbor a distrust or fear of the moon goddess, it would be Ponyville. Its residents witnessed the pinnacle of her insanity in a display that only confirmed her portrayal as the manifest evil of Celestia's mythology. Though a feast was thrown after the defeat of her alter ego, Luna couldn't help but to think that it was more of a celebration of her sister's return than a welcome for her. The wreath of roses the villagers had bestowed on her spoke of the veiled bitterness they felt towards her. Yes, the flowers were beautiful, but the interlocking stems wove a crown of thorns that gripped and tore at her neck with every movement she made.

As Luna neared the village, she pondered the source of that sensation. At the time, she thought the irritation was merely due to her body's sensitivity after being freed from her illness. Was what she felt merely discomfort or pain? Had the thorns cut her, had she bled? Were her fears correct, had the Elements of Harmony cast out her immortality?

Questions of this nature swirled in Luna's mind as she entered Ponyville. Though distracted, the princess initially made sure to stay in the shadows so as not to bump into anypony. A particularly violent blast of icy wind, however, shook her from her thoughts and reminded the Luna that the likelihood of encountering a pony in the streets this night was slim. Feeling more free to move undetected, she took to her wings and swiftly glided towards the town center.

"Now, I know Celly mentioned that her student was staying in the town's library, so it shouldn't be too far away from the other civic buildings," Luna thought.

As she rounded the corner, she froze and retreated behind the building. Peering from her hiding place, she saw two members of the Royal Guard speaking to a pony with a scroll on her flank, the town administrator it would seem.

"…and so Madam Mayor, it is imperative that you maintain order here while the authorities in Canterlot sort this mess out," The first instructed. "General Hawkeye has drafted a contingency plan in the event of panic, so if need be, contact the district's barracks if you see any signs that usually prelude a public riot. We, of course, will be standing by as well..."

Luna listened in, impressed that Celestia had mobilized her Royal Guard so quickly, or had she? Luna had a natural sense of time synched with the rotation of the planet, but she still managed to forget or ignore it at times, much to Celestia's grief. She looked up at the moon and realized that seven hours had passed since her departure from Canterlot and took note of it. On the run or not, Luna still had to lower the moon to make room for Celestia's sun. As she calculated when she should perform her duties, Luna caught the sight of two more guardponies moving towards her out of the corner of her eye.

"Ack! I'm such a scatterbrain!" Luna thought "Ok, now how did that spell work again?…ugh…"

The guards drew closer and Luna began to panic. She was flanked.

"…no…no…Oh right!"

With a quick spell, the princess of the night dissolved into the shadows of the town hall. It had been awhile since she had performed the feat, but luckily she just managed to evade the guardponies' gaze. As they walked, Luna overheard what the two were discussing.

"...can't believe this, captain. Of all the nights, it had to be the one when the wind is so cold it feels like I have a bloody glacier growing in my wings!"

"Hold your tongue, private," barked his superior officer, a rather large, dark brown pegasus,"I know your daddy got you into the Royal Guard, but I thought by now that I'd taught you a thing or two about speakin' out of line and complainin'. You do it again, and you'll find yourself back in the mess hall peelin' apples!"

"Ye…yes sir! But, I was just voicing everyponys' thoughts. It's just terrible flying conditions for a marehunt…"

"Well soldier, looks like you'll be bakin' apple fritters for a month! I expect 'em to taste the way my nanny made 'em back at Canterlot Castle! Now stop makin' yourself useless and get back to your patrol! Bother me again with your brilliant observations again and I'll make damn sure you never wear that armor again. You got that? One more slip up and you'll find yourself back at daddy's business sittin' behind a desk; a front row seat to watch the best years of your life be mercilessly swallowed by an ever creeping sense of your own worthlessness! How does that sound, _Golden Pockets_? Now-"

"Captain! Did you hear that?" interrupted the timid guard, his voice tinged with a sudden anxiety and his ears perked up "It wasn't the wind, right? It's gotta be something bad, it's gotta be Nightmare Moon. Should we draw our weapons?"

"Wha-? Are you kidding me, private? Grow a pair, it's just the rest of the battalion. Great Celestia, the shit I have to deal with..."

Over the howl of the wind, Luna could make out the sound of rattling armor growing closer. In a minute, about twenty-five pegasi were assembled and lined up in to two neat rows, ready to be presented to their commanding officer.

The first pair of guards, their task complete, joined their company and arranged themselves into rank and file. Once done, they saluted their captain.

"Captain Braveheart! The local authorities have been informed and are taking the appropriate actions as prescribed by General Hawkeye." The first guard reported.

"Good work Lt. Nightshade, Private Blackmane." Braveheart commended, moving on with his inspection of his soldiers. When all seemed satisfactory, he faced them:

"Now pegasi, I know we've never had to deal with runaway goddesses before. It's a daunting task, but it's damn important we complete the mission or all hell will break loose, understood? That Princess Luna has always been a problem just waiting to blow and that royal scumbag Prince Blueblood set her off. Anyway, given the circumstances, we can only assume the worse. She may look innocent and small, but I've been briefed that she has more blood on her hooves than...well…anypony! You aren't sealed in the moon for no reason, if you know what I mean. The general has sent us, the elite pegasi division of the Royal Guard, to personally search and garrison this village while the rest of the armed forces search elsewhere."

He paused and then shouted "Do you know why, pegasi?"

"No, sir!" The soldiers shouted in unison. Captain Braveheart grinned and chuckled.

"I didn't think so; it ain't exactly Manehatten now, is it?"

"No sir!"

"Well, this little dinky town apparently houses somewhere a weapon of incredible power. The general believes Princess Luna will be drawn to it either to claim it for herself or destroy it. Both scenarios are unacceptable!"

"Yes sir!"

"Now, the town has another gem we should be aware of. Celestia's prized pupil Twilight Sparkle resides in the local library. She is to be guarded at all times! Ms. Sparkle was reportedly instrumental in Princess Luna's defeat last year, and is thus a likely target. Being who she is, Ms. Sparkle may also prove to be a source of vital intel. Lt. Lightning Strike!"

A yellow pegasus emerged from the ranks.

"Yes sir!"

"How did the questioning of Ms. Sparkle proceed?"

"Sir, she was somewhat reluctant to provide any information to us."

"You didn't tell her anything, right soldier?"

"No sir, the questions pertained to her contact with Princess Celestia and her knowledge of Princess Luna. A search of the library was conducted as well, per your orders."

"Good pony. First the questioning. What did she tell you?"

"Not much, sir. She told us that she had indeed sent a letter last evening to Princess Celestia and that the princess had responded. We then requested that she replicate her original letter to the princess."

Lightning Strike paused and reached into his saddle bag to take out a scroll and passed it to the captain.

"Sir, the correspondence."

"Very good. Continue."

"When pressed for information on Princess Luna, Ms. Sparkle insisted she knew little and told me to ask the Royals myself. Sir, I remember Ms. Sparkle quite well from her studies with the princess. She can't lie worth a damn. She's hiding something."

"And the search?"

"The library yielded little. All we could find were these old books concerning medieval Equestrian history that seem to depict Princess Luna, or rather Nightmare Moon. However, the texts are written in a strange language. It's not Old Equestrian, that's all I can say."

"Hmm…perhaps we can get some brainiac down here to translate 'em...or we could get Ms. Sparkle herself," the captain suggested. "If it better prepares us for an encounter with a pissed off goddess, it'll be worth it. At 0800 hours I want you to alert Ms. Sparkle that her services are compulsory. Until then, you, Whitewater Rush, and Golden Pockets are to guard the library. Understood?"

"Yes sir!"

"Lt. Nightshade!"

"Yes sir!"

"Take the books from Lt. Lightning Strike and have them delivered to my quarters in the town hall. Same goes for these scrolls." The captain ordered, giving up the letters.

"Yes sir!"

Captain Braveheart turned his attention to the whole battalion and spoke:

"Well pegasi, you know your orders. I want you stationed at every entrance to the village and four of you doing aerial reconnaissance at all times. It's basic night watch protocol, think you dumb foals can handle it?"

"Sir, yes sir!"

"Damn good! Inspection will happen at 0700 hours, and I want you all as alert and active as that bouncin' pink pony who ran out to greet us tonight!"

The soldiers looked at each other uneasily.

"Well…?"

"Sir, yes sir!"

"You all are dismissed, make me proud boys!"

"Uh-hem."

"…and Sgt. Storm Cloud. Sorry 'bout that."

"Don't let it happen again."

The Royal Guard divided ranks and flew to their respective posts. Seeing his pegasi in such excellent formation, Captain Braveheart confidently turned to the town hall and entered the building knowing well that his pegasi would not fail him.

With nopony in the immediate area, Luna materialized and proceeded to throw up. The reaction was a surprise to her; although she was never a fan of being torn apart atom by atom, she never had a problem shadow shifting before her encounter with the Elements. A tingling sensation spread across her entire body. Was this pain? It didn't feel like any she had felt before, the best she could compare it to was the uncomfortable twinge she got sometimes from unexpected bug bites. But this felt like a thousand of those.

"Hopefully I don't have to do that again." Luna thought, itching herself a bit before turning to more serious issues, "But it looks like Celly is worried that I snapped. A fair assessment granted our fight, but she won't get me quite yet; this goddess has a few more tricks to spare…"

Luna contemplated the best course of action. Teleportation was far too visible and noisy and, like shadow drifting, might have her puking up her stomach by the time she was done. A camouflage spell? No, these guards were trained to pick up on such petty magic.

And then she got it. Smiling, she thought to herself:

"It's been a long time since I played the Sand Mare."

When Equestria was still young and the ponies far from civilized, Luna had been tasked with putting their nighttime fears of dragons and griffons to rest by inducing a powerful and peaceful sleep over them. As centuries past and towns began to crop up and her subjects felt more secure, she stopped performing the duty. The ponies of Equestria still referred to her as the Sand Mare for some time until that memory too past into myth.

But tonight Luna was going to show Captain Braveheart's pegasi that the old folk tales rather than Celestia's history contained the greater truth when it came to the princess of the night. The gall of that pegasus and his company! Luna's face burned red when she recalled the vociferous captain's words.

_She may look innocent and small, but I've been briefed that she has more blood on her hooves than...well…anypony! You aren't sealed in the moon for no reason, if you know what I mean._

The lie-passed-as-truth stung and only helped to support her suspicions that Celestia had demonized her in an effort to re-consolidate her authority after her attempt to check it. Celestia's reaction to Luna's accusations and Prince Blueblood's vitriol were more telling, but it was still difficult for Luna to outright conclude her darkest fears. She wanted to see those books the soldiers had confiscated from Twilight; they no doubt contained the answer.

"Twilight Sparkle!" thought Luna, "The poor young mare, it's unfortunate that she got dragged into this, but I need her help."

_Do I? How can such a young unicorn even hope to solve a crisis that ails an ancient goddess?_

Luna suppressed the thought. She was no fatalist. She was an artist who saw endless potential in all aspects of life. To bow down to death out of fear and helplessness would be contrary to everything she had come to embody. She could not betray herself, neigh, everypony in such a way.

Taking courage from her brief reflection, Luna surveyed the town. The whole village was dark save one beacon of light shining from within a great tree. It was crowned with a large telescope, much to Luna's amusement. It was clear that Celly's young student lived there.

Peering further, she caught the silhouettes of the pegasi charged with guarding Twilight.

"Ok I've got a job to do now!" Luna mused, "Let's see…ah yes this should do it!"

Luna's horn glowed as she transfigured several nearby rocks into piles of fine blue dust. Using her magic, she gathered the powder and swirled it around her body to test the substance. Its fragrance was reminiscent of spring flowers and its caress warmed the body, making her eyelids feel heavy…

Luna shook herself and grinned.

"Still got it."

It was quite the distance for her to drug the guards, and she didn't want to use her magic as the vehicle lest the guards remember the obvious glow when they awoke. No, she needed to be more discreet. While she thought, a fierce wind blew in the direction of the library as if summoned by Luna's necessity.

"Perhaps we can be friends yet, fell wind." Luna whispered as she dispersed her potent drug into the night breeze. Faithfully and quickly it carried her gift to the Royal Guard.

As the guards patrolled, they felt a sudden shift in the weather. The buffeting cold wind turned into a light summer's breeze that melted their stiffened bones and made them recall fair memories of seasons past. Their eyes dried and grew impossibly heavy and, one by one, they fell into a deep-seated sleep.

Luna chuckled as she trotted up to the library and looked at her victims.

"Poor dears, looks as if you'll be missing inspection in the morning. Shame, the captain will be most disappointed. Oh well, the company can do without the additional 'yes sirs', don't you all think? Have a pleasant night."

Luna turned to the door. A sense of nervous anxiety swept through her body. Twilight was a loyal to the throne, no doubt, but it was mostly Celestia that had her heart. She had been cultivated in the image Celly found to be most favorable to her rule. How would she see Luna? The demon of her teacher's fables? Luna could only hope not. Perhaps Twilight could sympathize with her? For the more she thought, the more Twilight's expedition to the village became questionable in nature. Had Celestia considered Twilight as a threat? Was this town a subtle form of banishment? Luna's head began to ache from the strain; her sister was extremely crafty when it came to disposing her political enemies and it was often difficult for Luna to understand this game Celestia loved to play. Often her purges were seen as voluntary resignations by the public, but Luna knew that Celestia was always pulling the strings, manipulating the outcome to maximize her interests. Just what those may be all the time remained a puzzle for Luna.

"Well, no use fretting, Luna, best to be informal." She told herself, hoping to calm her misgivings. Luna knocked on the door.

"WHAT NOW!?"

The princess was taken aback by the loud growl erupting from just behind the door. Luna heard the door being unlatched and saw it thrown open, revealing a very angry purple unicorn standing in the doorway.

"You barge into my home, throw all my books off their shelv—"

Twilight stopped as she realized who she was addressing, her rage changing quickly into awe and fear.

"Uh, ugh, eh…" the awkward mare stuttered, a bead of sweat dripping from her forehead.

"Hello Twilight Sparkle, may I come in?"

"…oh, ah, yes! Yes of course, come in, of course!" Twilight said. As Luna entered her home, Twilight brought her hoof to her face. "Stupid, Twilight stupid Twilight, protocol!" she muttered to herself as she prostrated before Luna, burying her face into the library's floor.

"Princess Luna, goddess of the moon, arbiter of the night sky, mistress of the cosmos…"

"Twilight?"

"Yes your majesty?"

"Please drop the protocol, you look ridicoulous."

Twilight arose and looked at the princess. The unicorn's nervousness and anxiety could not be shielded by the cheesy smile that now stretched across her face.

"Of course, Princess Luna." Twilight said through her clenched teeth "How may I be of any service...at this late hour...?"

"I require assistance. A lot of it." Luna frowned, "I was hoping that my sister's star student could perhaps help me sort out a few questions I've been tossing around in my head."

"Oh well, umm, yes, uh, I can try, but, you know, don't you think Celestia would be, ugh more helpful?"

"To be straightforward with you Twilight, I'm largely here because… well, I fought with Celestia this evening."

"You, wha-what?!" Twilight's nervousness broke into shock "Well, that explains why the Royal Guard came in here and ravaged my book collection! But why, why did you fight with Princess Celestia!?"

"Twilight, I don't expect you to understand what transpired between Celestia and I. Let's just say I was trying to address an ancient grievance."

"Um, against you?"

"Yes."

"Uh, Princess Luna, not to disrespect you in any way shape or form here, but I don't think you're coming from a good position to…how do I put this….complain about past injuries."

A flash of anger passed over Luna's face, but it was quickly replaced with a look of resignation. She sighed.

"As I said, I didn't come here expecting you to understand. I came here to ask you a few things. Now, what exactly did you tell the Royal Guard about me?"

"Oh, you know of that? Ah, well, nothing princess, really! I thought it inappropriate that they should just bust through my door and interrogate me without a proper warrant. So I told them…

"To ask Celestia."

"…right."

"Yet you surrendered your letter from my sister."

"That's true, but that was largely Spike's fault. Well, actually all of it was. He answered the guard when I was pressed to give up information. The little dragon has a good heart, but sometimes he doesn't know when to keep his jaw shut. Anyway, I was pretty much forced to comply; I don't think I've ever seen them so pushy before…or so disrespectful for that fact. Just look at this place!"

Luna looked over the library. Sure enough, all the books had been torn from their shelves and were cluttered throughout the room. Not a few of the books were trampled and ripped during the Royal Guards' raid. Twilight sighed and began picking up books and sorting them to their proper shelves.

"I must say that I'm sorry about the mess" Luna said, "It's completely my fault…"

"Oh no princess, it's all right. This kind of thing seems to happen to me every other day. So, what kind of help do you need? Magic? Science? Naturally the two compliment-"

"No Twilight. I want you to tell me what you know about Nightmare Moon."

Twilight's eyes bulged at the request and dropped the book she was putting away.

"Princess! Umm, I'm not really a historian at all." She said, giving a nervous laugh "I work with the natural sciences mostly. I can tell you that a thousand years ago she grew jealous of Celestia's power and popularity and sought to overthrow her to establish an everlasting night…"

"Enough Twilight." Luna interjected calmly "I don't want the foal's tale, I want an actual account."

"Uh, sorry Princess! I can't really help you here, but, uh, send Princess Celestia my love, okay?"

Once again, a cheesy smile plastered Twilight's anxious face. Luna huffed and rolled her eyes out of impatience.

"The Lieutenant was right. You are a terrible liar."

Twilight's phony smile quickly turned to a genuine frown.

"I'm, I'm sorry princess" her voice quaked, "it's just, well, it's just…I swore to Celestia that I wouldn't tell anypony!"

Luna's ears perked up at the mentioning of her sister's name.

"Twilight, it's of the utmost importance that you tell me. I cannot reconcile with my sister until I know what the old histories say about Nightmare Moon. Please, for our sake, tell me!"

Twilight sniffed and contemplated the goddess's request. At length, she finally replied.

"Okay, Princess, I'll tell you."

Luna gave a big smile and nuzzled Twilight, surprising the young unicorn.

"Oh thank you Twilight Sparkle! Please, go on!"

"Um, so I mentioned that my main studies deal with the natural sciences. I was never too good with the social sciences, as you can probably tell by my assignment to Ponyville. But during my schooling under Celestia, I was taught several academic languages; Old Equestrian, Wyrmish, and Thracian. Being taught a skill, I didn't want it to get rusty during my stay here, so I sent a request to the royal library to send me some old texts to translate in my spare time. The mailmare, Derpy had one heck of a delivery that day; they must have mailed me thirty books! Anyhow, while I was sorting through them, three Wyrmish titles caught my attention. Rendered into Modern Equestrian, I think they were titled _A History of the Great Shadow_, _Of the Pestilence of the Moon Witch_,and _The Triumph of the Sun Goddess_…"

"I'm aware that the guards confiscated these books."

"…yes. Anyhow, having just defeated Nightmare Moon, I was curious to learn more about her…"

"Me, you mean."

"No Princess Luna, you and Nightmare Moon were not the same pony! Celestia made it clear to me…"

"What, that I was possessed? Or that she needed a convenient excuse to bring me back into the public light!? Twilight, I am the sole pony responsible for my actions that night, I refuse to put blame on any phantom designed by Celestia. What I do refuse is to be blamed for a past I know nothing about!"

Twilight gave a confused look, raising a single brow. She was quite unsure what to make of Luna's sudden mood swing and rejection of Celestia's interpretation of events. It seemed contrary to what one with Luna's kind of history would want to say.

"Oookayyy…As I was saying, I wanted to learn about _you_. So I translated the one of the books and parts of the other two and what I found was, well…" Twilight paused, hesitating for a bit "Princess, you were a monster. Tens of thousands died of the famine, disease and dubious wars that you largely caused."

At Twilight's words, Luna had to fight back the urge to cry. It was true; her sister made her the very incarnation of evil on earth.

"I don't know why you want me to tell you this, do you want to destroy these books or something?" Twilight asked "Because Celestia was not happy that I had them either. Just last month, she sent me a letter asking me if I had them. Apparently, Derpy mixed up her delivery at the censorship bureau and ended up taking several rare books that were intended for the incinerator. Luckily, they ended up in my hooves. Knowing their fate, I told my teacher that I could not in good conscience send the books back. Celestia consented under the condition that I not translate them and keep them out of sight. So naturally, I obeyed. I stopped, but I could not bear to throw away the work I already had, so I hid the translations in the safest place in the library."

"Under your mattress, right?" Luna joked half-heartedly, trying to mask her sadness.

Twilight blushed.

"Well, yeah! This library is constantly in a mess! I'm sure I would have lost them by now if I hadn't put them there. But you're right, it's a good thing they didn't search my room, the Element of Magic…"

"Is under your mattress too?"

"No!...It's in the drawer of my nightstand."

Seeing Twilight's embarrassment, Luna shifted back to the matter at hoof.

"Twilight may I see your translations? Based on what you told me, they're the only documents left that can help me piece together my sister's past."

"You may princess, but they'll open up some old, ugly wounds…"

"Believe me Twilight, these wounds are quite fresh. Don't worry about my feelings, I can handle myself."

"All right, one second then. Spike! SPIKE!"

"…what?" came a muffled voice, "it's late Twilight, can't we clean up tomorrow…?"

"SPIKE!"

"Okay, okay! I'm coming!"

A small purple and green dragon descended down the stairs, his eyes still tinted with the fog of sleep.

"Hey Twilight, hey Lu- "

Spike stopped, his eyes widening to the size of saucers.

"Ah, oh, Princess Luna, um, how do you do? No, what was I supposed to say again? Darn—"

"Spike, Princess Luna has requested to see my translations. Please organize and retrieve them for her."

"Uh, right away ma'am!"

With that, Spike dashed back up the stairs to prepare the documents.

"All right then." Twilight said, turning back to Luna, "Would you care for any tea, princess? It's really cold and windy outside tonight. Not to be disrespectful, but it looks like you were out there for quite awhile!"

Luna looked at the nearby floor mirror. Sure enough, she looked like a mess. The wind had blown her mane into a tangled frenzy and her coat was still tinged with gray dust of the mountainside.

"Sorry about that," Luna said, her mind a thousand light years away, "I'll take care of it."

The glow of alicorn magic covered her body. It swiftly brought order to the persistent knots in her mane and removed every foreign particle on her body. Once again the spitting image of a princess and no longer a ragamuffin, Luna looked back to Twilight and faintly smiled. The unicorn did not return her sentiment, her face instead contorting to an image of horror.

"Pri—Pri—Princess! You're bleeding!"

Indeed, the trickle of blood from Blueblood's blow continued to run gently and slowly down the side of her face. The frigid night winds had numbed her pain, but at some point the gash had opened back up. Now Twilight's cozy abode was begining to revive the unpleasant sensation. Still a bit distant, Luna responded in a low tone.

"Oh, yes, I guess that's why I came here in the first place, isn't it? Like before, Twilight, I'm not going to beat around the haystack. I believe I've lost my immortality."

"Huh-huh wha-? H-how? Celestia didn't…"

"No Twilight, Celestia did not rob me of it, I doubt she even has the power to do so. No, I don't know how and I'm not quite sure if what I think is true. I came here to confirm or disprove my suspicions. If the latter, I wish to discuss with you about the Elements of Harmony, as I feel that they are somehow involved with my…problem."

"Oh no, oh no, no no no no! This is bad, really, really bad! Princess, if you die, the world will too! The heavens will collapse without you! No, no, what can we do? What can I do?..."

As Twilight proceeded with her panicked rant, the reality of her situation dawned on Luna. She had been so absorbed with her own relationship with Celestia that she failed to take into account the impact her death would have on the world. Luna bowed her head in shame. Sometimes she was so selfish, so thoughtless that she wished maybe a bit of Celestia's omniscient foresight was hers. Perhaps Celestia was right, maybe she was too short-sighted and too detached to make wise decisions concerning her subjects.

"No." she thought, "Even if that were the case, it should never merit a thousand years of solitude."

Luna brought her attention back to Twilight who was still going on.

"…where could it have even gone? Is immortality a spiritual or magical manifestation? What would Celesti—"

"No Twilight, my sister can't help me. Not with this. I need you to be strong with me. I'm scared too, but you're the most talented unicorn in Equestria. Celestia often tells me that she has never seen a mortal with such power, capability and intelligence. That's saying _a lot_. If there's anypony that can help me, it's you Twilight Sparkle."

Twilight's distressed expression gave way to one that radiated with confidence and pride.

"Well, I'm pretty gifted, I guess." she responded, trying to hold onto at least a little shred of humility.

"I'm glad to hear you're willing, because the first thing I need you to do is to hit me."

"All ri-wait wha!?"

"I told you, I need to know that I'm truly mortal. The head injury you see was the result of a mishap at a banquet Celestia was throwing. To be brief, it involved Prince Blueblood striking my face."

"Blueblood…your, uh, son?"

"Son!? Dear sweet Celestia no! What gave you that idea?"

"Well, he's Celestia's nephew, and you're her sister…"

"You're quite mistaken. Apparently, I'm his aunt too."

"That doesn't make any sense at all! Who is he then?"

"He's the Prince of Haysburg from the line of our brother, Nopony."

"Nopony?"

Twilight wasn't getting it. Luna contemplated whether it would be wise to tell Twilight that Celestia's "Royal Family" was nothing but a politically useful fabrication her sister had concocted. After a bit of thinking, Luna decided in favor of it. Twilight was a bright pony, she could handle the truth.

"How should I put this…Twilight, the Royal Family is a lie."

The purple unicorn looked at Luna with disbelief.

"…Perhaps I laid that on you a bit too thick. Umm, a long time ago, in order to rule more efficiently, Celestia decided to create a class of ponies that would be loyal to her and administer their land in accordance with her standards and orders. She instilled in them the idea that they were linked to her through blood, making them feel special and privileged. However, this intimate connection bound them to Celestia's will and interests, making them unlikely to rebel against her rule. In short, it was a way for her to fragment her political responsibilities without giving up any of the power. Do you understand?"

Twilight's brow furrowed.

"That doesn't sound like something Celestia would do, princess...that just sounds ruthless."

"Twilight," Luna sighed, "Didn't you ever pay attention to the way Celestia governs Equestria? Her relationships with different aristocrats and ministers? The law making process?"

"Uh, no. As I said, those things don't really interest me at all. That's why Celestia sent me here, to acquire a better range of social skills."

"Okay then, but you enjoy reading, right?"

"More than anything!" Twilight beamed.

"Have you by chance then come across Marechiavelli's _The Princess_? The book is essentially a day in the life of Celestia."

"No, but the author's name is familiar, it's so strange, isn't it? I think Celestia brought her up once when she had me accompany her to parliament to deliver a speech or something. I was kind of reading up on transfiguration spells at the time, so I can't really recall, but the name stuck out. To be honest, though, the book sounds like it'd be boring. To me at least, I lived with her for a couple of years. She just has _a lot_ of meetings."

Luna wasn't making much headway with convincing Twilight that her teacher was a master of manipulation and moral ambiguity. Defeated again by Celestia's clever calculations and constructions, Luna tried to steer the conversation back to its original content. The moon goddess was starting to notice that, between the two scatterbrains, focusing longer than five minutes on a single issue was going to be a monumental task.

"Never mind then, Twilight. The point is simple; the prince is not immortal. Thus, he shouldn't have been able to hurt me. He was, however, wearing mithril bracelets. I don't know where he got them, but I think it likely that Celestia must have given them to the stallion. If that's the case, she may have blessed the bracelets. But it's also just as possible that they were not blessed and simply given as to the prince as a token of goodwill. So to be sure, I need you to give me a good smack to the side of my face."

"Uh, okay then…umm…how do you want me to do it?"

"Do you really need instruction?"

"All right then," Twilight said with obvious uncertainty, "Sorry princess…"

Twilight raised her right hoof and brought it down heavily across Princess Luna's face, sending Luna straight to the ground.

"Okay Twilight, I go—What the hay is going on in here!?"

The small dragon stood in the stairway with a look of disbelief on his face.

"Spike! It's not what it looks like…"

"Twilight, you just punched the princess in the face!"

"We were testing to see if, uh she was still immortal, that's all!"

"Well why the hay didn't you just prick her with a needle or something?"

"I don't know, she told me to, and, umm, and…"

"It's fine Spike, Twilight did nothing wrong." Luna said as she got back up, her face bearing a new dark blue bruise that contrasted dimly against her azure coat. Twilight looked at her with a worried expression.

"Princess…does this mean…"

"Yes." Luna responded. She had no desire to voice the obvious but disturbing revelation.

A long silence passed in the room as Luna tried to grasp her fate. She had put so much hope in the possibility that her wound had some divine roots. But no, she was doomed to die, quite possibly bringing the world down with her. A fitting end for the evil-made-flesh; if she could not exist, neither would the whole of creation. In the end, Celestia's predictions finally came true. Luna would be the ruin of everything. The moon goddess closed her eyes, a single tear escaping. It trailed down the side of her face, uniting with the stream of hot blood that now surfaced from the site of Twilight's strike. Her sorrow and pain now joined as one, the single droplet fell from her face and splattered on the library floor, breaking the library's silence with a light thud that resonated throughout the library.

Twilight kept her gaze fixed on Luna. She was clearly hurting, but Twilight was hung up over the proper means to comfort royalty. After pondering over what to do for a short while, Twilight shook her head

"What am I thinking? She's in pain and I'm wondering which guidelines I should base my response on!? Celestia was right to send me here, I'm too insensitive when ponies need me the most…"

Breaking out of her comfort zone, Twilight moved to Luna and nuzzled her. At the unicorn's touch, Luna's dark thoughts dissipated. The princess of the night smiled and returned her affection. Another tear, clean and pure, traveled down her cheek until it rested upon Twilight's purple mane.

"Thank you Twilight Sparkle. Thank you."

In an attempt to duck out of the growing sense of awkwardness he felt, Spike ran and placed Twilight's translations and notes on a nearby desk.

"I got what you wanted Twilight," Spike said "so I'm going back to bed now. Night Princess Luna, uh, get better!"

With a wave, the dragon rushed back to his bed.

The two hardly heard him. They remained together for quite some time, saying nothing until at long last Luna broke their embrace.

"Twilight, that meant everything to me. I thank you with all my heart. But the night grows short, and we have some things to discuss yet before I set the moon."

"Yes princess, you wanted to know about the Elements of Harmony?"

"Yes, I'm almost certain now that they are the cause of all this."

"Well, perhaps the first thing you should know then is that I am an Element. All five of my friends are as well. It's true that their power is channeled through several jewels, but the source dwells within a pony that best manifests the purest form of each specific quality: Honesty, Loyalty, Laughter, Compassion, or Generosity. Once these individuals are assembled, the Element of Magic is revealed and the power of the Elements may be unleashed. It is said to be the most powerful of all magic, as I'm sure you know. It defeated even you, a goddess."

"Right after my defeat, I felt a change come over me. It wasn't merely the departure of my madness, my sense of touch became far more acute and sensitive. We now know that it was a sign of mortality, but did you or your friends experience a change of sorts too? Perhaps something you'd never expect yourself capable of, or maybe your personality changed?"

Twilight listened to Luna's questions and tried to recall anything odd. Well, other than all the crazy adventures she had in Ponyville. Then it struck her.

"Actually, I have noticed that my friends and I are…durable, to say the least."

"Yes, go on."

"It's just that whenever something dangerous happens to us, we manage to always pull out all right."

"Twilight, that sounds more like good luck than anything else."

" No, I don't think we're on the same page here. The dangerous thing _happens_. But we're always okay. For instance, once I was trying to figure out my friend Pinkie Pie's strange behavior, a whole delivery truck of goods came crushing down on me. I'm talking about pianos here."

Luna's eyes were fixed on Twilight.

"Yes?"

"My injuries were grave. I was even put in a wheelchair with a full body cast. But after a few hours, I hardly needed any of the medical care. My body seemed to heal itself. I chucked it up as the result of my special gift. You know, magic."

"But how about your friends?"

"I'm not as sure about them, though I swear Rainbow Dash should have severe brain trauma by now. Applejack tells me her flying has gotten far more reckless and her tricks far more insane since I came to town. Oh and speaking of Applejack, she managed to go for a week without sleep despite her unrelenting harvest of the entirety of her orchard. Alone. Pinkie Pie is an enigma, I have no idea how she works at all. Fluttershy and Rarity aren't very physical, so I'm not as sure about them. You'd have to ask them yourself, but I'm pretty sure the pattern will hold up. We've been through some pretty dangerous adventures."

Luna smiled.

"I think I've figured out the most plausible answer. Twilight, Celestia didn't steal my immortality, you did!" Luna said with a light laugh, "But what is taken can be returned, don't you think?"

"Now listen, I think I understand what happened now. When the blast from the Elements hit me, it coursed through my being and purged every villainous intention I had. When it retreated from my body, it must have taken a part of my divinity, namely my immortality. As you said Twilight, the elements can defeat even a goddess, and how does one kill a deity? They strip away her immortality and let either the sword or the passage of time to do its work."

"Then my friends and I…"

"Yes, my immortality was fragmented and passed into you six. Though you're not exactly immortals, you still have a magnificent resilience to pain and injury. If surviving a falling piano cannot attest to that, I don't know what else can."

"Princess Luna, if what you say is true, then we need to get my friends and find a way to give back your immortality immediately!"

"And we'll do just that," Luna replied, magically gathering the documents Spike left behind, "but we'll need to pack first! Here could you put these in a saddlebag for me? Gather your Element and…wait, Twilight, are you tired? I've kept you up all night…"

"Oh, don't worry about me princess. I'm a professional student, I've pulled off hundreds of all-nighters!"

At the mentioning of "all-nighters", Luna froze. How could she forget the Royal Guard!

"Twilight, there is another thing you should now. The Royal Guard has been sent here not just to question you, but guard you. They're stationed throughout the village, and outside of your door. We need to be careful. Not only are they looking for me, but the Elements as well."

Twilight frowned and rolled her eyes.

"Really? Ugh, well, we can teleport to Sweet Apple Acres, that's where my friend Applejack lives. It's on the outskirts of town, so we should be able to sneak past the guards with little trouble."

"A good start to a plan. Now pack light and meet me outside your door. Don't worry about the guards assigned to the library, I took care of them when I arrived."

"…'took care of them' princess, you didn't…"

"What!? Of course not! I put them into a deep sleep!"

"Oh, right, yeah! Just playing with ya, you know?"

Luna was a bit annoyed by Twilight's presumptions of murder, but she let it pass. There was no point trying to prove to Twilight she was never the demon her sister's stories made her out to be. She had just better get used to it, especially since she'd have to deal with ponies that probably had far less sympathy for her.

Suddenly, Luna's felt a twitch, her body's natural clock telling her to perform her duty.

"Twilight, I have to go and lower the moon now. Collect our things and meet me outside."

"Will do princess. Be careful."

Luna turned and exited the library and looked up at the sky. Her face quickly melted into shock. There was no dawn, the same darkness was in place as it had been on the mountainside. Celestia was not raising the sun. In vain Luna tried to lower the moon, but she needed her sister to complete the cycle. Panic seized Luna.

"No, no, Celly, where are you?" she shouted at the sky, abandoning all other concerns "Sister, don't abandon me now! I need you, please!"

There was no reply save the north wind's roar.

Luna began to head back into the library to retrieve Twilight, but, out of nowhere, she heard a rush of air and the familiar clattering of golden armor. Before she could react , she was encircled by the entire company of the Royal Guard. Emerging from the ranks to greet her was Captain Braveheart, a cigar hanging grotesquely from the side of his mouth.

"Well, well, good work pegasi! We've caught the fugitive princess, what'd I tell you all? She's nothing but a cowering, coddled witch with too much power."

The captain turned his attention to Luna, leaning in with a smirk on his face.

"You're a goddess, but you're not very bright are you? The general said you had a knack for ignorin' details and procedure! When you knocked out my pegasi, did you care to remember the idea of a 'night rotation'? You've had an eternity to live, but you're as predictable and sneaky as a teenaged brat. Did sittin' on the moon for a thousand years rot your brain black, highness?"

Luna blushed at her foolish mistake, shifting her eyes away from the cocky captain.

"We've been waitin' for you to start feelin' safe and tired. Made you just that much easier as a target! And now you'll be coming back home to Canterlot with us, princess."

Fed up with the captain's impudence, Luna mustered her courage and shouted back.

"How dare you?!" her voice shook, "What right have you to take a goddess into custody!? When my sister hears of your disrespectful and shameful conduct…"

"Lt. Nightshade!" Captain Braveheart barked, turning to the soldier on his left and handing him a scroll "Read the princess the charges!"

" Yes, sir! You, Princess Luna, alias Nightmare Moon, have been charged with kidnapping her royal highness Princess Celestia and plotting to once again plunge our land into the heart of eternal darkness."

Luna could not believe her ears. Her sister was missing? The possibility was nearly incomprehensible. Celestia would never leave her throne. Luna's mind shut down, leaving her face stuck in a state of violent shock.

"Any resistance to us during the arrest will be met with force."

"Well said, Lieutenant, now restrain her and bring her in! I can't wait to get outta this dump of a town."

"Not so fast!"

The library door burst open. From the doorway Twilight leaped to Luna's side, positioning herself in an aggressive stance, her horn lowered and hooves stomping.

"Back off!"

Twilight's horn began to glow, causing the captain to grin even wider at the scene.

"Oh, what are you going to do? Throw a rock at me? For all your magic, you unicorns are real one trick ponies! Bwahaha!"

"No captain, I'm going to ruin your day."

"Ha, look at the sass in this no good, collaborating traitor! You'll pay severely for your treachery Twilight Sparkle. I swear it, even if that means torturing the evil right out of you myself! Arrest 'em!"

"How's this for a one trick pony?" Twilight shot back with a grin, "Good-bye!"

In a brilliant flash of light, Luna and Twilight vanished. Captain Braveheart's jaw dropped, the cigar falling to the ground. A unicorn could do that? Braveheart was very aware that Twilight was Celestia's student, but he had never expected such godlike magic could be passed on to a mortal.

Suffice it to say, it did not sit well with him.

"What the bloody _fuck_ just happened?!"

The captain's foul curses rung throughout the village, waking many a pony. It would be an unpleasant start to a horrific day.


	3. Chapter 3

Frigid Winds and Burning Hearts

Part 3

"Big Mac, what in Sam hill is goin' on here?" a confused Applejack asked her giant of a brother, "Clock says it's 7, but it looks like the middle of the gaul darn night!"

The two earth ponies stood in the midst of their orchard looking up at the night sky. The Apple family had been fortunate to avoid the blight that many other farmers in Equestria had been suffering, but their output was still far less than expected. Nonetheless, it was still back breaking work that needed to be done, so the pair had woken up at the usual time, 4:30, to start harvesting the last of their crop before an early winter could claim the sweet, juicy life blood of Sweet Apple Acres. Being early birds, the absence of the morning sun was that much more noticeable and disturbing.

"Ah dunno Applejack" Big Mac responded in his usual droll tone "Maybe we forgot it was daylight savin' time an' Granny turned the clocks back?"

"You kiddin' me? We just had daylight savin' time! Not to mention that Granny's been outta town for a week..."

"Ah know Applejack, but Ah can't say nothin' else. Ah'm just as stumped as you, Ah ain't seen nothin' like it before."

Applejack paused at her brother's words.

"Say that ah'gin Big Mac?"

"Well, Ah ain't seen nothin' like it before."

Applejack's memory struck her like a ton of bricks.

"Nah Big Mac, Ah reckon we have seen this before, just last year even. Remember the Summer Sun Celebration?"

Big Mac's eyes widened.

"Eh-yup..."

Applejack's face scrunched up in anger. Suddenly she erupted, catching Big Mac off guard.

"She's behind it! After we trusted her, after Celestia forgave her! The witc—

"Now slow down there Applejack," Big Mac interrupted ,"Ah think it a might early to be jumpin' to conclusions…"

Applejack butt heads with her older sibling and stared him down.

"The hay you defendin' her for Big Mac, cause she got a pretty face?"

"Now, now, Applejack, there's no need to get angry with me." Big Mac said, averting his eyes, "It's jus, well, yer too quick to act sometimes when you should really wait 'n see for a bit…"

"What are you talkin' 'bout Big Mac? You don't act fast enough! Jus' takin' everythin' slow 'n steady all the time! If you had to the apples to face Nightmare Moon—"

The bickering pair was interrupted by a loud boom and a flash of light from across the orchard. Applejack smiled, but her brother still looked just as confused as he had been looking up at the sky.

"Uhh, Applejack…"

"No worries brother, it's Twilight teleportin', I know that sound anywhere!"

"Uhh, what's 'teleportin''?

"It's travelin' magic or somethin', don't worry 'bout it. But Twilight's a real smart gal, she'll know what's up with the sky, she's gotta direct line to Celestia after all! C'mon Big Mac!"

With that, Applejack galloped off in the direction of the sound. Big Mac smiled and trotted slowly behind.

"Lil' sis, you'd run intah a gator's gut without thinkin' a second 'bout it, but I dunno what Ah'd do without c'ha."

/

A thunderous bang struck the ground and a blinding light illuminated the surrounding apple orchard. As it quickly faded and the dust settled, the freshly teleported duo emerged from the epicenter. Twilight stood looking down at Luna, who had fallen to the ground. Her eyes were still wide open and her mouth agape; the unraveling events were too much to bear. There was too much to process, too much to explain to Twilight. Too much convincing that needed to be done.

"Princess, princess are you all right?" Twilight asked, meeting Luna's empty gaze. The goddess blinked heavily several times and got up, saying nothing.

"Princess, what's the meaning of all this? Why didn't you set the moon? Where's Celestia?"

Luna turned back to the inquisitive unicorn with a frazzled expression. She stared at Twilight for a minute before responding:

"Twilight, I, I have no words for you right now."

"What do you mean 'you have no words'?" Twilight snapped, her voice now raised "Princess, you told me you got into a fight with Celestia last night. What did you do? What have you done?"

Twilight's accusative interrogation snapped Luna back to the present situation. Of course it was Luna's fault; it could only logically be the great adversary of life who would be so cruel as to rob the sun from the heavens. She had done it once and tried a second time. What would stop her from doing it again? Trying to keep calm, Luna replied:

"Twilight, I must have your trust."

"Princess, it's difficult to do that when all the signs seem to point to you as the cause of this. Celestia never just up and leaves her throne! Everypony knows that. The last time that happened, you appeared as Nightmare Moon and kidnapped her."

"Wha-, excuse me, I kidnapped Celestia? How?"

"Well, umm, with divine magic I presume?"

"I overcame my older sister, the goddess of the Sun, the one who imprisoned [i]me[/i], in a matter of minutes and then imprisoned her, somewhere, until the moment you defeated me? Twilight, if I had actually encountered my sister beforehand, there would only be one of us alive. Do you recall a rainbow pegasus asking me what I did "with your princess"?"

"Yeah, that was Rainbow Dash…"

"What did I say?"

"…Nothing about Celestia. You just said 'Am I not royal enough?'"

"Exactly. Twilight, if you don't have a solid grip on what actually occurred last year, can you at least give me the benefit of the doubt? Please, trust me when I say that I do not know where my sister is, and that I cannot set the moon without her starting the cycle anew."

"I, I guess. I mean, you do seem really, really distressed about this whole predicament. But how can you say about the cycle be true? Celestia took care of the sun and moon by herself for a thousand years."

"I was curious about that myself, but Celestia told me that she used an ancient spell to channel my power from my prison in the moon. Of course, the power she took was but a fraction, so her nights were never as fair or beautiful as mine. It just allowed her to raise and lower the moon."

"Well, can't we use that spell?"

"Twilight, you know more than anypony that Celestia's private collection of books is only accessible to her and is constantly guarded. Even if we could pass the guards and break Celestia's enchantment, it would take us days to find the book. Even if we did, I have no idea where my sister is. I cannot channel her strength out of thin air. No, I can't raise the sun. We do need to find Celestia, but I will be of little help if I cannot reclaim what was taken from me. We need to assemble the Elements."

"…okay Princess Luna. I guess I agree…"

"Twilight!"

Suddenly, a familiar country twang caught their attention and the duo turned in the direction of the sound.

"Twilight! Twilight! Where are ya girl?"

"Applejack!" Twilight responded, "Over here!"

It didn't take long for the country mare to pick up where her friend was. In a minute the orange pony saw two obscured shapes and dashed over.

"Hey Twilight, hey Rarity, do y'all see what I'm seein'? The darn sun ain't risen ye…"

Applejack stopped midsentence to get a better look at her audience.

"Yer Twilight" she pointed to one, and the moved her hoof to the other "But yer definitely not Rarity…"

"Applejack, this is, uh, Princess Luna, you've met before remember?" Twilight nervously said.

"Hello Applejack." Luna said, hoping to give a good impression, "Forgive us for intruding on your farm, I hope we didn't wake you or your family."

Applejack stood back, flabbergasted for but a second, and then positioned herself back to her original footing, neck lowered and eyes narrowed.

"Nah, you didn't wake anypony princess. We're hard workers here, early to bed, early to rise, ya hear? Besides Ah think it's time for folks to be gettin' outta bed round this hour anyhow, don't cha think?"

"Yes, I suppose..."

"Usually some folk need a bit of sunshine to remind 'em that a new day is startin'. I ain't seen the sun yet today, have you?"

Applejack leered at Luna, waiting for the goddess to give away her guilt. However, her open hostility did not faze Luna; she was expecting that the down-to-earth pony would need a good deal more convincing than a student stuck in the ivory tower. Then again, she still had a lot of work with Twilight left to do as well. "This is going to be a difficult day" Luna thought, giving a light sigh. It was a sign of weakness that the cowgirl pony was waiting for.

"Ah ha! Admit it, you've done kidnapped the princess again! Nightmare Moon."

"Applejack, please," Twilight spoke up, "I think that Princess Luna is not at fault here."

"Twilight, I love you, but this witch has played you like a fiddle! You honestly believe that anypony 'cept Princess Luna could be behind this? It's nighttime Twilight! Not dawn, not dusk. Nah, it's straight up pitch-black night!"

"But…"

"But nothin' Twilight! She's a trickster, a conjurer of illusions and black magic! Remember our journey to Everfree Castle? All the trials she put in front of us? She tried to kill us!"

It was now becoming very hard for Luna to keep a calm disposition. Applejack wasn't lying and the truth hurt. Luna had tried to dispose of the six ponies; they were direct threats to her goals of vengeance. True, she was utterly insane, but she was still responsible for her actions. She could only hope that the farm pony would fail in turning Twilight against her. Luna turned to the purple unicorn and was disturbed by the doubt she saw in Twilight's eyes.

"She's a no-good murderin' psycho witch!" Applejack railed "Can't ya see, Twilight? She's turnin' you against—"

"Uhh, AJ?"

Twilight and Luna turned to look at the newcomer, a great red stallion standing just behind Applejack. Sure enough it was Big Macintosh.

"Big Mac! Glad to see ya caught up! Quick, I need ya to take this here devil down!" Applejack said, still staring down Luna, "She's got Celestia, Ah know it!"

"Eh-nope!"

Applejack's eyes bugged. She shot her brother with an angry face.

"An' why not?"

"Sis, Ah think you should calm down a bit. Ah know you've been doin' the talkin', I followed the sound of yer voice here, and that's just the problem. AJ, you need to learn to listen and stop accusin' all the time. Ah know yer guess 'bout the night sky sounds pretty smart right now, but it all just doesn't add up. If the princess kidnapped Celestia, why would she be runnin' 'n teleportin' round Sweet Apple Acres with Miss. Sparkle here? Ah think the princess might like to say somethin' 'bout what all is goin' on 'round here."

Humbled, Applejack looked at the ground. Big Mac turned to Luna and smiled.

"Sorry yer majesty, AJ here has bit of a short fuse. The kid's gotta a lot of heart and sometimes she gets herself inta trouble with it. Ah see you're hurt too, we'll needa take ya to the house and fix that up fer ya. But fer now could ya tell us 'bout what ya know?"

Luna was moved by the giant red pony's intercession and kindness. He managed to cut through the tense emotional environment and bring a sense of rationality back into the discourse. Luna couldn't help but be reminded of her own sister. The thought put a smile on her face.

"Thank you Big Macintosh, you're patience is the greatest gift anypony can give me now." Luna said, making the stallion's face a bit more red. Luna then took a long breath and continued .

"I know what everypony thinks of me, I know that most do not trust me the slightest. I have come to expect this, the wicked nature of my return to Equestria cannot be simply dismissed. My thirst for revenge bred a hatred so powerful that only the Elements of Harmony could purge. You know, Applejack, that you and your friends won that day. You took away from me that poisonous draught I had craved for so deeply. In doing so, you not only saved the world, you saved me from myself. However...that was not all you took from me."

Luna's horn illuminated briefly her features as she rubbed her injuries.

"I'm not sure how, but it seems that the Elements ripped away my divinity and passed it to you. Simply said, I'm no longer immortal. That is why you see these wounds on my face, they were given to me by mortals, not in a struggle with Celestia."

"Oh yeah?" said Applejack, "Then where is she?"

"I don't know." Luna replied with a frown, "Am I my sister's keeper? The last I saw of her she was at Canterlot attending a banquet..."

Twilight nudged the princess a bit to be more straight forward

"...but we did not depart on the best terms. I left to seek solitude and, later, Twilight's assistance with my problem. It is only just in the past few minutes that I've learned of Celestia's disappearance. Trust me, if I knew where she was, I would be the first to say. I have more to lose by her absence than you can possibly imagine."

Luna bit her tongue in an attempt to stifle her anger. She couldn't let Applejack know how upset she was at her sister, it could very well backfire if she got too emotional about her grave misfortune.

"As it is, I have no idea where she could be." Luna continued, "My sister has seldom ever vanished like this, and why would she? She loves Canterlot more than anywhere else in this world. It is her throne, her sanctuary, her cult."

Luna paused for a bit, looking deeply into Applejack's skeptical gaze.

"Her child. It's everything to Celestia, why should she flee it? And to where? What precedent do we have? During the Summer Sun Celebration, she seemed to vanish into thin air to give the impression that I had truly captured her. But it worked. Based off this knowledge, the general of the armed forces, like you Applejack, thinks I am to blame. So now the Royal Guard has set up camp in Ponyville, just waiting to arrest me for something I didn't do, and for something I can't do: complete the solar cycle. I need my sister to raise the sun, just as she needs me to set the moon. At least, that is how it was in the old days..."

As Luna spoke, Applejack made sure Luna didn't break eye contact with her. She read every bit of body language she could gather from Luna, but couldn't detect a bit or deception. Maybe a little discomfort, but that was natural for being put on the spot. As the Element of Honesty, Applejack could call out any liar with ease, but Luna didn't exactly meet any of the tell tale signs she was apt at keying in on when dealing with a deceitful pony. Applejack was torn, her pride and gut feeling refused to accept Luna's interpretation of events, but she had no proof and her brother made an excellent point. Sweet Apple Acres was a strange place for a fugitive to flee to. Still, she had a nagging feeling that the goddess was a masterful trickster above her powers of observation.

"Thankfully, Twilight teleported us away from town before the guards could arrest me. And so I stand here, Applejack, asking you to forgive me for the dangers I put you and your friends through during the height of my insanity and believe me. I need you to help me if I am to regain my immortality and find my sister. Will you?"

Applejack looked to Twilight who nodded her head in affirmation of Luna's account and turned to Big Mac who simply smiled back at her. Facing Luna with a look of defeat, Applejack responded solemnly.

"…Yeah, Ah forgive ya and Ah'll do what I can to help…Ah can tell if somepony is lyin', an' you ain't. But you gotta understand princess, mah faith in you is small an' shaky. You fib to me once, an' Ah'm done, you hear? Now what's the plan?"

It was now Twilight's turn to speak up.

"Well, I'm glad that's settled. I feel like we've spent too much time in one place, the Royal Guard are probably tearing Ponyville apart looking for the princess. As such, Luna and I can't go into town and get Pinkie Pie and Rarity…"

"Wait," Applejack interrupted, "why do we need the whole gang now?"

"The princess and I figured that the Elements of Harmony drained her of her immortality. We need to reassemble to give it back to her."

"…Ah think this sounds a bit sketchy, reversin' the Elements' power and all…"

"Applejack! We have to do this, if Luna dies, so will everypony!"

"…okay then. So you were sayin'?"

"Right. So we'll need you to retrieve those two with their elemental jewels. The guards won't bother with you, I don't think many will even recognize you, but still: be careful. Keep out of sight the best you can. Luna and I will find Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy."

"Got it. Ah'll head over there now, you two go with Big Mac back to the house. My elemental jewel is under mah mattress, take it with ya. We'll meet up 'round Fluttershy's place, sound good?"

"It's fine with me, how about you, princess?"

"Yes, it sounds like a good enough plan." Luna replied.

"All right then," Applejack started, "I don't think Ah'll be long, I may even beat y'all to Fluttershy's. But if it's as risky as you say I may be a bit late. Explainin' things may take time too, darn it…anyhow don't worry 'bout me."

Applejack then turned to her brother.

"Show 'em the way home Big Mac. Make sure they eat somethin' there and bandage up the princess here, okay?"

"Eh-yup!"

"Good, see y'all later!"

With that Applejack dashed off in the direction of town. Big Mac shook his head and smiled again.

"Mah sister, always runnin' off. She has a foal's energy, don't y'all think? Anyway, follow me, Applebloom should be finishin' breakfast 'bout now."

The big red earth pony turned his back and began walking back, Luna and Twilight not far behind.

"Big Mac, you let Applebloom cook alone?" Twilight asked, coming up alongside the large pony.

"Well Miss. Sparkle, the filly's yet to find her true talent, so we figured that cookin' is a good thing fer her to do to help out. Everypony needs to know how to cook. Yeah she can be messy, but she always puts edible food on mah plate and that's all that matters to me."

"Pinkie Pie showed me the remains of her cooking. It looked like black death."

"Nah Miss. Sparkle, I think you'll be pleased what you find. Ponies grow an' change with time, nopony is the same forever, especially the little ones." Big Mac said. He then turned to Luna "Yer majesty, are you feelin' all right? Those are some nasty cuts ya got there."

"Yes, thank you for asking Big Macintosh," Luna replied "and thank you for encouraging Applejack to listen to me. I can tell she respects you greatly."

"Yeah, I suppose. Ah know her weaknesses and she knows mine. We do our best to point out to each other when they flare up durin' inappropriate times. That way we can avoid lookin' an' behavin' like foals. It's what siblins' ought to do fer another, ya know?"

Luna looked at the ground and then back to Big Mac with a frown.

"You're wise far beyond your years, Big Macintosh. Even goddesses forget such things. I wish only that Celestia were here to listen to your advice, I feel that she could use it."

"Yer majesty…"

"No Big Macintosh, please call me Luna."

"Luna, you may be right 'bout yer sister bein' all high an' mighty, but you gotta remember that we all fall inta the same sorta self-righteousness at times. It's only natural an' healthy to think ourselves right, but it can blind us to what all is actually happenin' 'round us. Jus' be sure that yer not in the wrong before ya harp on others."

Luna was not expecting sage advice from a simple country pony, and yet she just received plenty of it. It'd be difficult to translate well into the political and cosmic struggles of Equestria, but the goddess was convinced that it was necessary before encountering Celestia again. She had a feeling their next meeting would not be as one-sided as the last.

"Well, look at that y'all, we made it back in record time. Eh-yup!"

As they emerged from the orchard they came upon the Apple homestead. Approaching the door, they could hear the clanging of pots and pans being shuffled about. Whatever was for breakfast, Twilight had a bad feeling about it.

Peering through the screen door, Luna could make out a bit of the layout of the household. The entry way led into the foyer, which had a staircase leading up to the second floor. Straightforward from the foyer was the entry to the kitchen.

Big Mac opened the door and called to his youngest sister:

"Applebloom, we have guests. Now be proper an' c'mere to greet 'em."

A loud crash of dishes and a galloping of hooves were heard as the group entered the Apple home. Suddenly a small figure leapt through the air and landed atop Big Mac's back, surprising Twilight and Luna.

"Big Mac, yer back already! Ah think you'll like breakfast this mornin' I worked real hard on it an' everythin'!"

"Ah'm sure ya did, but don't be rude now…"

"Oh right, sorry!" Applebloom apologized, turning to Twilight and Luna.

"Mornin' Twilight! Mighty fine you could join us this mornin', were ya out helpin' Applejack? Ah'd be out helpin' too, but she says I'm too…" Applebloom paused, the stranger catching her eye, "…uh sorry ma'am, but who are you? Yer a unicorn but, ya got wings? What the hay?"

"Applebloom, this here is Princess Luna" Big Mac introduced, "An' she's Celestia's sister, so respect her kindly."

"Yer Princess Luna?"

"Pleased to meet you Applebloom…" the goddess responded before being pounced on by the enthusiastic filly.

"Oh mah sun! Yer Princess Luna!" Applebloom cried out, embracing the goddess with a surprising amount of strength, "Ah can't wait to tell Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo! Can ya help us find our cutie marks, princess? Of course ya can! You know how to do everythin' after all!"

Luna was happy to see somepony that ecstatic to see her. It was likely that Applebloom had witnessed the return of Nightmare Moon, yet the young filly had failed to make a connection between Luna and her alter ego. Such was the beauty of the innocence of youth, bereft of the prejudices and free of the web of myths and inventions of her sister. But as the filly's hug tightened around her neck, Luna's thoughts of happiness quickly shifted to ones of her own mortality. Finding it difficult to breathe under Applebloom's vice-like grip, Luna gasped for a fresh breath of air.

Seeing this, Big Mac grabbed Applebloom's collar, tore the two apart, and set his sister down lightly.

"Now Applebloom, ain't right to be so bold an' familiar when meetin' new ponies. Remember when AJ took ya to market?"

"…yeah."

"Ya darn well scared most of the townsfolk with yer in-yer-face behavior. Now Princess Luna here is a special pony who deserves special respect. Ah can tell you Applebloom, you'd be in big trouble if the Royal Guard ever saw you chokin' out the princess, ya understand?"

"…yeah."

"The Royal Guard!" Twilight said, bursting into Big Mac's lesson in proper etiquette, "Big Mac, I don't want to seem too hasty right now, but the Guard is searching for us as we speak. I think it's best that we do as Applejack instructed and then get moving on again. I'd hate to see Sweet Apple Acres torn up like my library…"

"Ah think yer right, Miss Sparkle. Applebloom, how're the flapjacks comin' along?"

"Well ah reckon I need to make a couple more for Twilight and Princess Luna, so 'bout 10 minutes?"

"That'll do Applebloom." Big Mac said, then turning to face Twilight "Miss. Sparkle, why don't cha help Applebloom with the cookin' while I go an' bandage up the princess? Maybe you can even teach her a thing er two."

"Yeah Twilight, teach me! C'mon, c'mon, c'mon!" Applebloom shouted as she ran back into the kitchen.

"Of course I can." Twilight said, giving her typical nervous smile while slowly following the filly. "_Yes, I'd love to help you not blow up the kitchen._"

Big Mac gave a light chuckle and turned his attention back to Luna.

"Princess, if ya just follow me, ah got some first aid stuff jus' right over here. This is a farm, injury ain't too uncommon an' so we're always prepared for the worst an' you got it bad."

Turning left, Luna was led into the living room. Big Mac trotted up to a big chest that sat adjacent to one of the few pieces of furniture that occupied the space. Opening it up, Big Mac took out some bandages, tape and disinfectant.

"All right Luna, come here an' lemme get a good look at that pretty face."

With a slight blush, Luna parted her mane to give Big Mac access to her wounds.

"Eh-yup, this is gonna sting a bit."

A shot of pain went through Luna as Big Mac applied the ointment, but the healing properties of the substance soon replaced it with a feeling of cool relief. Luna gave Big Mac a smile, and he returned it, saying nothing. As he began wrapping a bandage around her first cut, Luna was a bit surprised at the stallion's quite demeanor. He stood in the presence of a goddess, seemingly oblivious to that reality. Unlike many before him, he did not incessantly plague Luna for answers about life's mysteries or ask her for any special favors. He did not even inquire into her past. The giant farmer pony was clearly not intimidated; he was perhaps the most relaxed pony she had ever had the pleasure to meet.

As Big Mac began preparing to treat her second cut, Luna's curiosity got the best of her.

"Big Macintosh, why the sudden silence?"

"Oh, ain't nothin' Luna. Ah don't talk all that much, only when Ah really need to. In fact, I don't think Ah've talked this much in months, but it ain't everyday that a goddess pops up outta nowhere askin' me fer help an' the sun don't rise."

"But Big Macintosh, aren't you the least suspicious about me? Do you know what they say I've done?"

"Nah princess, all I know 'bout ya is what happened last summer an' you sounded honest in yer apology. Ah've got not one reason to think ya a bad pony."

"That's all you really know about me? Did you not take medieval Equestrian history in school?"

"Eh-nope. I wasn't ever a very smart pony; Ah was only really good at math. When my folks died, Ah had to drop outta school an' take care of AJ, Applebloom, an' Granny Smith so Ah never really gotta study any history. Nah, I'm none to book smart at all, but Ah'm good at listenin'. Ah think it best like that."

"I see, but hasn't Applejack told you anything?"

"Well, yeah, she did. But not much. She would jus' say we couldn't trust ya so quick-like an' Ah nodded not knowin' a thing about the situation. Ah like to reserve judgment fer myself, so Ah jus' let her vent."

Taping the final wrapping, the big pony stepped back.

"There ya go, Ah'd like to say 'good as new' but you'll be needin' some time to rest an' let it heal."

"Thank you again, Big Macintosh." Luna said, "You may think yourself a simple farmer, but you're more the gentlepony than any prince, duke, or knight in Celestia's court."

With those words, Luna leaned forward and kissed Big Mac on the cheek. She then proceeded to brush past him to join the others in the kitchen. The unexpected gesture surprised Big Mac, making him unable to prevent his face from melting into a goofy smile. Only one word could surmise the red pony's feelings.

"Eh-yup!"

As Luna was about to enter the kitchen, she inadvertently crashed into an excited Applebloom.

"Oh princess! Sorry 'bout runnin' inta ya, but I was jus' gonna tell y'all it's breakfast time! C'mon!"

Following the filly to the kitchen table, Luna saw that Twilight was finishing setting out the plates and utensils.

"So Twilight, how do you think Applebloom did with the pancakes? Are they as horrifying as you made them out to be?"

Twilight blushed sheepishly.

"No, they actually smell…well, divine! Unless they're poisoned or something, they should be really good."

"Delightful! Now shall we take our seats then, my little chef?" Luna asked Applebloom. The young pony was busy carrying a large stack of pancakes over to the table, but responded cheerfully.

"Sure can princess! But where the hay is Big Mac, I thought he was comin'?"

"Ah'm right here lil' sis." Big Mac called out joining the three at the table, "Ah wouldn't miss yer flapjacks fer the world."

"All right!" Applebloom shouted enthusiastically while serving each pony a couple of pancakes "Then dig in everypony, it's mah specialty! Blueberry strawberry banana flapjacks with a bit of apple, of course!"

Luna complied with the order; she hadn't eaten for a full day. Politely, she used her magic to use both fork and knife to cut her a piece of her first pancake and put morsel to mouth. Luna's eyes widened.

"This…this…this is…Scrumptious! Well done Applebloom!"

Throwing her sister's laws of etiquette to the wind, Luna began scarfing down her plate of pancakes.

"They are pretty good, aren't they?" Twilight said, having taken her first bite as well.

"Eh-yup!"

"Y'all really like 'em?" Applebloom asked, just about crying from the pride she felt.

The three nodded in agreement.

"Oh boy! Flapjack makin' cutie mark, flapjack makin' cutie mark, c'mon!" Applebloom repeated as she moved her apron to check her sides. Unfortunately for the filly, her flank was still as blank as it was before.

"Ah don't get it," Applebloom sighed with disappointment, "If everypony really liked 'em, then how come I ain't got mah cutie mark?"

"Huh, well sweetie," Twilight began, holding back a laugh "you may make good pancakes, but you're not very good at _making them_."

"Huh?"

Twilight pointed her hoof to the kitchen. It was a disaster zone, pots and pans were strayed all over, many of them covered in flour and batter. Fruit peels and broken dishes littered the floor, and, for some reason, a fish wrapped in some newspaper was flailing wildly on the ground.

"Generally, it takes less than twenty dishes to make a dozen pancakes."

"Ah, rats!"

Twilight and Luna laughed while Big Mac simply smiled.

"Don't worry about your cutie mark!" Luna said in between laughs, "Applebloom, I feel you're destined for something much greater than just making good pancakes."

Applebloom's eyes lit up.

"Ya really think so?"

Luna nodded.

"Yeah, yer right! Ah can do somethin' much better than makin' crummy pancakes! Wait, y'all see that Applebloom and the Cutie Mark Crusaders will find the coolest, most awesome talents that anypony has ever even known! We'll make ya proud princess!"

"I'm sure you will." Luna smiled, still chuckling "Perhaps you can visit Canterlot and demonstrate them to my sister and me. We'd like that greatly."

"Oh wow Princess Luna! Really? You're the best princess Equestria's ever had!"

Once again, Luna found the young filly's hooves wrap around her neck in a painful embrace, but she too was lost in the moment. It had been centuries since she last heard herself be praised above Celestia. Even though the words came from a naive foal, Luna could not help but bask in the light of Applebloom's admiration. That is until she felt the living day lights being squeezed out of her.

"Uh, Applebloom, I love you…too…but…air…" Luna gasped.

"Oh right, sorry princess! Usually I stop when folk turn blue, but it's hard tellin' fer you! Ah don't wanna get in trouble with the Royal Guard or nothin', honest!"

The young pony released her grip, allowing Luna to take several deep breaths.

"Applebloom brings up a good point, princess." Twilight said, her tone punctuated with grave seriousness, "We don't want to get in trouble with the Royal Guard. We need to get going to Rainbow Dash's house. I think we've stayed too long."

"Aww, you can't go now!" Applebloom begged "We gotta go see Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo, Princess Luna! C'mon, pleassseee!"

"Now Applebloom," Big Mac said, "The princess and Miss. Sparkle are on royal business an' need to be on their way. Maybe if you're good, Princess Luna will come back to visit ya and yer lil' friends, ain't that right princess?"

"Yes, I'd like that," Luna smiled, "and perhaps I can show you some of my favorite recipes. I don't like to boast, but I make the meanest hay sandwich! I hope you like hot sauce."

"Oh Ah do prin-"

Before Applebloom could finish her sentence, the front door shook with a violent knock.

"Open up, open up! By order of the Royal Guard, open this door or we'll bust it down!" a familiar voice shouted.

"Oh no, no, no, no!" Twilight whispered frantically "We still need to get the Elemental jewel from under Applejack's mattress!"

"Ah'll go an' distract 'em." Macintosh said, laying out his plan, "Twilight, you sneak upstairs. Mah body should be able to block their view of the inside, but be stealthy. Luna, wait here fer Twilight and do that teleportin' magic thing once ya got what ya need. Got it?"

Everypony nodded in agreement except Applebloom who looked confused.

"Umm, Big Mac?"

"Open up this bloody door now you damn hicks!"

"Applebloom, lock the backdoor and make sure to warn Luna if somepony tries to knock it down, all right?"

"But…"

Without another word, Big Mac and Twilight struck out into the foyer.

/

Big Mac gulped as he walked from the kitchen to the front door. It was uncharacteristic of him to lead, and he was unsure whether his half-baked plan would work. Grabbing the handle, he opened the door to reveal several angry pegasi clad in golden armor. The captain, with his red plumed helmet, stood at the front with a chewed-up cigar in his mouth.

"Well, well, look at what we have here. It's Andre the Big Red Horse." Captain Braveheart said with contempt "Anyway, there have been reports that a loud flash of light was seen and heard on your property. We're here to give your house a thorough search, so don't try any funny business and you won't get beat, boy."

"Why Ah dunno where you folk are all from, but that kinda talk is considered rude 'round these parts."

"I don't give one damn about 'these parts'!" the captain barked back, "Let my company in or I'll make sure 'these parts' go up in flames, got that?"

"Eh-nope!"

With that, Big Mac slammed the door, and put his back up against it as the Guard began to bash it down.

Twilight, what're ya doin'? Get goin'!"

/

Twilight watched as Big Mac dealt with the Royal Guard. She was so incredibly nervous, she was shaking. Slowly she crept over to the stairs, but she could swear she could feel Captain Braveheart's piercing gaze on her as his gruff voice entered her ears. Too afraid, her body tensed up and refused to move despite the mind's desire to press forward. Why didn't she just teleport? Stupid, stupid!

"Twilight, what're ya doin? Get goin'!"

Big Mac's words snapped her back to the present. Twilight rushed upstairs and quickly entered her Applejack's room. The purple unicorn leaped over to the bed and kicked the mattress clean off the bed frame, revealing the ruby treasure it concealed. Twilight grabbed the elemental jewel and stuck it in her saddlebags. As she turned to leave the room, however, she heard the shattering of glass behind her. Horrified, she looked behind her to see a yellow pegasus in the room. It was Lt. Lightning Strike.

"Twilight Sparkle, halt!" he ordered in his usual disciplined voice as he drew a nightstick from his side, "Surrender! Don't try to resist or flee, or you will be met with greater force!"

/

"But…"

Applebloom was ignored as her big brother and Twilight exited the kitchen. Confused she looked to Luna for answers.

"Princess Luna, what's goin' on? Who is yellin' at us?"

Luna frowned. She didn't want to expose the young filly to the bitter realities that were now trying to break down the door of the Apple family homestead.

"Shhh..it's okay Applebloom. It's just the Royal Guard…"

"The Royal Guard? Oh no! They know Ah touched you!" Applebloom shouted, her eyes welling up with tears, "Ah don't wanna be banished! Ah'm sorry, Ah'm sorry!"

"Shhh, Applebloom, shhhh…" Luna said, trying to comfort the distressed filly, "It's not that at all. I forgot to tell them I was coming to visit you today, and they must have gotten pretty worried."

Luna's words soothed Applebloom's fears. Calming down, Applebloom nuzzled the princess.

"Twilight, what're ya doin'? Get goin'!"

Big Mac's call alarmed Luna, the normally calm and collected pony's voice was now tainted by an obvious fear. Breaking from Applebloom, she went to peek into the foyer.

"Princess Luna…"

"Shhhh, Applebloom." Luna said, not bothering to look back.

"But Princess…"

"What, Apple-"

Luna turned back and saw two pegasi with nightsticks drawn. As one cracked over her head, everything went black.

/

Eyes closed, Big Mac put all of his strength into holding the door against the five guardsmen. He could easily buy Twilight and Luna plenty of time if this was the best the Royal Guard could manage. Not two seconds past before he was proven wrong.

"Big Mac! Help!"

Big Mac's eyes popped open. His sister was in trouble. Abandoning the door to its fate, Big Mac dashed into the kitchen and saw the two guardponies carrying away a limp Luna and a struggling Applebloom.

"Lemme go you cloud biters, lemme go!

"Put 'em down!"

The two guards turned to be greeted with a mighty kick from Big Mac's powerful hind legs, the force effectively separating them from their captives. With a loud crash, the pair was sent flying into Applebloom's pots and pans. It would be a while before they would be able to get back up.

"Big Mac!" Applebloom cried, tears flowing wildly "They hit the princess, they jus' hit her right on the head!"

"Applebloom, I told ya to check the back door!"

"Ah'm sorry Big Mac!"

A loud cracking sound confirmed that the Royal Guard had broken through the door.

"Where are ya you bloody piece of red shit!" the Captain growled, his coarse words heard throughout the house.

"Applebloom, get behind me."

/

"Come on Twilight, courage!" the purple mare said to herself, her knees shaking and her horn glowing.

"No magic or I'll be forced to hurt you!" the Lieutenant warned

"Don't do this Lieutenant, you can't win." Twilight responded, her tone mixed with defiance and fear.

"Orders are orders Twilight, you know that."

"Then go ahead, do it!"

Accepting her challenge, the pegasus bolted over to Twilight, nightstick raised. Using the mattress, Twilight shielded herself from the charge, stopping the soldier dead in his tracks. Seeing her opportunity, the unicorn slammed the mattress down onto the Lieutenant. Hoping that the blow would incapacitate the elite guard for a brief while, Twilight dashed to the room's exit only to be tackled by the swift veteran.

"Get…off!"

"Surrender!"

"No!"

Two loud cracks sounded as the guard struck Twilight on the back in succession. The pain seared throughout her body, awakening within Twilight a frightening power. Eyes now glowing, she managed to kick Lightning Strike off her and meet the pegasus' gaze. It was now the Lieutenant who shook with fear as he saw Twilight's body course with magical pulses.

"I'm the royal protégé of Celestia, goddess of the sun and sovereign of Equestria! In her name, I order you to stand down, Lieutenant!"

Obedient to whatever end, Lt. Lightning Strike shook his head.

"I can't do that Sparks."

With a loud battle cry, the yellow pegasus charged at Twilight a second time. The unicorn countered with a magnificent bolt of purple lightning that stunned the soldier before he could get within striking distance, knocking him from the air and onto the mattress. Her excess power now receding, Twilight grabbed a paper bag from her bag and breathed heavily into it. Calming down, she looked at the lieutenant remorsefully, sighed, and vanished with a loud bang.

/

"Ah'm in the kitchen, face me like a real stallion!" Big Mac shouted, his body tensed up in preparation for the fight ahead. He just had to hold them off until Twilight returned, but it seemed like an eternity since the unicorn had gone upstairs.

"Ha! You're not a real stallion, you're a freak on steroids!" Captain Braveheart sneered back from the comfort of the foyer "Arrest 'em!"

Four pegasi flew into the kitchen, encircling Big Mac as he stood protectively over Luna and Applebloom. The red giant was a patient and perceptive pony, his eyes followed the soldiers and his ears were perked to full attention. Hearing a rush of wind, Big Mac turned to his right and head butted the assaulting pegasus with tremendous force, knocking the unfortunate soldier out of consciousness. Seeing their comrade easily cast aside, the Guard opted for a more straightforward strategy: overpower and conquer. All at once, the three pegasi charged Big Mac with nightstick in hoof. One mounted the red stallion and wrapped himself around Big Mac's neck while the other two hovered over him while savagely beating his sides. Big Mac flailed wildly trying to shake the pegasus off of him, but to no avail. The pegasus, confident that he had Big Mac right where he wanted him, drew his night stick with one hoof and gave Big Mac a stinging blow across the face. The red stallion roared with pain as he gave a mighty buck that sent the pegasus flying into the same cooking deathtrap his first comrades suffered. The two remaining soldiers kept up their attack, beating Big Mac relentlessly. Blood now flowing into his eyes, Big Mac thrashed with reckless abandon.

Seeing her brother's condition, Applebloom dragged Luna away from the battle scene the best she could lest they catch one of Big Mac's hooves in one of their own faces. Looking back at her brother, Applebloom swallowed her tears, mustered her courage and shouted.

"Go Big Mac, ya got 'em big brother! Show those pansy feather dusters what the Apple family is made of, ya hear me Big Mac? Don't give up!"

Hearing Applebloom's sweet voice calmed the stallion's blind rage. Enduring the blows from the guards, Big Mac focused, trying to predict his enemies' next move. Timing each strike, Big Mac finally made his move and kicked one of his attackers square in the ribs while dispatching the other with a fierce head butt.

Both soldiers fell to the ground moaning.

Big Mac, blood flowing from his face and body beaten raw, turned to his sister and gave his familiar, friendly smile.

"Enough of this bull!"

A whirring sound was heard briefly before a crossbow bolt found its way wedged into Big Mac's right thigh. A loud growl of agony greeted Luna as she came around. Looking around, she gasped at the horrific condition Big Mac was in. Before she could get up and help him, she saw Captain Braveheart fly into the kitchen, crossbow in hoof and a look of burning hatred on his face. Hovering over his prey, the captain spit into Big Mac's eyes and grinned.

"You dumb hick, when will you learn to give up!? You think you're tough, you think you're brave for protecting a demon? To me you ain't nothin' but a murdering animal who got off his chain! I swear to you,_ I fucking swear_, if a single of my pegasi are dead, I'll have you ripped limb from limb right in front of your family just before they lose their heads to ol' lady guillotine! Like the sound of that?"

"Silence you impudent scoundrel!" Luna shouted from across the kitchen, disgusted with the conduct and words of her sister's elite soldiers.

"No, shut your mouth, your highness. I've won this fight. And a hundred others. That's why I'm the Captain of the Guard, and you better damn respect it!"

"You petty pegasus! You honestly believe you're rank means anything to me? In the face of my power, you're nothing but a noxious dust in the wind, an irritant, nothing more."

With a bang and a flash, Twilight teleported to Luna's side. At the sight of the purple mare, the captain began to reload his crossbow.

"Princess!" Twilight said, "I've got the elemental jewel! Let's get out of here!"

"Oh no." the captain interjected "You two won't escape from me this time. No, I'm going to make you rue your words, princess!"

"Captain Braveheart!" Luna replied with indignation "You forget who you deal with! I am the goddess of the night. You will bow before me!"

"Over my rottin' corpse I will!"

The captain aimed his crossbow at Luna and released the bolt. With a glow of Luna's horn, the projectile burst into flame, turning to ash before the hooves of the goddess, an offering to her raging fury. With anger and vengeance in her heart, Luna flew with incredible speed and tackled the bawdy captain and pinned him to the ground. Using her magic, she manipulated the gravity around them to bring down a greater force on the captain, ensuring that he would be unable to resist her.

"What're ya waitin' for you bloody witch!" Captain Braveheart yelled, struggling underneath the princess, "Kill me and be done with it! I know you've done it before, there ain't nothin' you love more than the sweet taste of blood on your wicked lips! Kill me!"

His words infuriated Luna, but she couldn't let him have that victory over her. It would only prove the myth a fact. No, she was far more creative than that. An alternative plan came quickly to mind as a cocky smile spread across Luna's face.

"No, I don't think I will. I think I'd rather have you report back to the general so that you can tell him how you escaped from me. You can also explain to him why you abandoned your post for a seedy 'gentlepony' club in Canterlot. I'm sure he'd love to hear about that, don't you think?"

Captain Braveheart shot Luna a look of horror.

"No! Kill me, kill me you fucking wench!"

"Language, captain! Be sure to add to your report that your atrocious disrespect and pride cost you your mission more than once."

"No!"

"Have a pleasant homecoming, captain."

"Don't!"

With a simple glow of her horn, the captain vanished with the usual flash bang.

Before Luna could rest for even a second, she heard a call from outside.

"Spread out and surround the building! Let nopony escape!"

It appeared the captain's reinforcements had arrived. Luna turned to Big Mac who was now quite unconscious. Luna could not suppress a tear as she beheld the terrible state Big Mac was in. His red coat and yellow mane were now both a damp crimson, his eyes were swollen shut and the captain's hideous bolt protruded from his thigh.

"Twilight quick, teleport us away from here! We need to get Big Macintosh medical attention right away."

"Got it princess, I have just the place in mind." She replied, somewhat frazzled by the sight of blood.

"Good, where's Applebloom?"

Twilight pointed her hoof in the direction of Big Mac. Sure enough, the young filly was nuzzling her injured brother, tears streaming from her eyes.

"Big Mac, get up! Get up, please! You gotta be okay, yer the biggest, strongest pony ah know!"

Applebloom's words once again called her brother back to his senses. Opeining a single eye, Big Mac weakly spoke up.

"Applebloom, Ah'll be okay. You be a good gal fer Miss. Sparkle an' Luna now, ya hear?"

"Ah will, ah promise Big Mac." Applebloom sniffed, hugging her brother tightly. "Ah love ya big brother."

"Ah love ya more than anythin' Applebloom," Big Mac responded, a bloody tear running down his cheek, "but now y'all need to get goin' on yer way."

"And leave you here? Big Macintosh, there's a fine line between noble sacrifice and stupidity!" Luna retorted "You're coming with us!"

The usual rush of wind was heard as several pegasi guard entered the kitchen.

"Halt don't…!" one guard said, failing to finish his sentence before yet another thunderous blast sounded throughout the house, leaving nopony for the guard to order.

"…don't do that…"

Confused, the soldiers surveyed the nasty scene before them: dishes and cupboards laid in ruin, their comrades were strewn throughout the kitchen groaning in severe pain , and patches of splattered blood covered every other square hoof of the room. Also, there was a fish wrapped in newspaper floundering about. It was not a pretty sight. However, one thing, or pony rather, was obviously missing.

"Where the hay is Captain Braveheart?"


	4. Chapter 4

Frigid Winds and Burning Hearts

Part 4

In a small hut on the far reaches of Ponyville and nearing the border of Everfree Forest, an unhappy rabbit thumped his foot impatiently as he stood in the kitchen waiting for his breakfast. Angel Bunny was a creature of habit, everyday he'd awake at 8:00 and be promptly served his morning carrot by 8:15. It was now nearing 8:30, and his pegasus had still not awoken to perform the daily ritual. Fed up with waiting, the peeved ball of white fluff hopped upstairs to see to it that his Fluttershy got her lazy yellow carcass out of bed. Jumping up and turning the knob to her bedroom door, Angel bounced to Fluttershy's bedside. Grabbing her clock from the nightstand, the rabbit leapt on top of the snoozing pegasus. A light sleeper, Fluttershy's eyes snapped wide open, a terrified squeak soon following. Peaking from the covers that were currently serving as her first line of defense against the many evils and perils of the world, she saw only her beloved rabbit before her and smiled.

"Oh Angel Bunny," Fluttershy said groggily, pointing to the night sky outside her window "it's much too late to be up. Don't be anxious, I know we have a lot to do in the morning. We have to see more of our bird friends off before they leave for winter, snuggle in the frogs and lizards, and…"

As she spoke, Fluttershy slowly drifted back to sleep, a single crude snore signaling the finality of her retreat back into the world of dreams. Angel brought his paw to his head in disappointment and aggravation. Hopping up close to her face, the rabbit gave the pegasus a light wake-up slap on the face. Torn from her sleep again, Fluttershy gave Angel an annoyed look.

"Angel Bunny! It's—"

The rabbit interrupted her by shoving the clock into her face and pointing to the hour.

"…It's 8:30! Oh my, but it's so dark outside," her eyes narrowed, "Angel, you wouldn't happen to be playing a trick on me, would you?"

The bunny shook his head and pointed at the clock again.

"No? Hmm not a trick…an all day eclipse? An Ursa Major ate the sun?"

The rabbit disconfirmed each theory with two more headshakes.

"Daylight savings time?"

The rabbit gave her another light smack, causing Fluttershy to blush in embarrassment.

"You're right, that was silly of me; that was just last week. Then…am I dreaming?"

Angel gave Fluttershy a pinch.

"Ah! Okay, so that's a no…"

Angel leapt from the bed and hopped back to the doorway. Pausing, he turned back to look at Fluttershy with an angry expression as he pointed down the stairs. Realizing what Angel really wanted, Fluttershy's sleepy demeanor shifted quickly to an alert concern as she hurriedly flew out of bed and down the stairs.

"Oh Angel Bunny, I'm so, so sorry! You must be starving you poor thing! I, I just slept in today without thinking. Please forgive my selfishness little friend, let Fluttershy get you a nice, juicy morning carrot."

From back upstairs, the white rabbit smiled and hooped merrily down the stairs. Fluttershy met him at the bottom with a particularly large carrot. At the sight of the monstrous orange root, Angel's eyes widened and began salivating. Jumping up and snatching the carrot, Angel Bunny scurried off to a corner and proceeded to gnaw away on his prize.

Glad to see her pet satisfied, Fluttershy's thoughts turned back to the unabated night outside her door. Gazing through the window, she saw that the stars were shining brightly and that the wind was still as fierce as it had been when she went to bed. There was but one change: the moon was fixed in the corner of the sky as if it were trying to escape, but with little success. Not quite sure to make of the phenomena, she looked back at Angel and shook her head.

"I don't know Angel," she said to her gorging pet, "I don't like the looks of this, it reminds me of, well,—"

A blinding flash lit the room, followed immediately by a loud bang. As the light dissipated, Fluttershy immediately took cover underneath her coffee table, her eyes glued-shut and body shaking. Then from the darkness she heard a familiar voice:

"Fluttershy, it's all right. It's me, Twilight."

The yellow pegasus slowly opened her eyes only to meet Twilight face-to-face. Relieved, Fluttershy smiled at her friend.

"Oh Twilight," Fluttershy said as she emerged from underneath the table, "you gave me quite the scare! You really should knock next time, it's just plain rude to…"

"Fluttershy, I know this might sound weird," Twilight interrupted, her tone gravely serious, "but I need you to be strong for me, can you do that?"

"Umm, I don't know…I thought…is something wrong?"

"Fluttershy, I want you to take a deep breath and brace yourself."

"Umm, why?"

"We have a problem, a very, very nasty problem that requires your medical expertise."

"Oh, did you find an injured animal?" Fluttershy responded, her timidity giving way to a sense of urgency "That's terrible! Please, let me see it right away!"

"Well, it's not exactly…wait Fluttershy!"

As Twilight spoke, Fluttershy weaved around the purple unicorn to get a look at her new patient. Nothing, especially Twilight's few words, could prepare Fluttershy for the shocking sight before her. The only way the fragile pegasus could process the situation through the one way she knew best: vocalizing every observation until she could make sense of it. She started her list with the blood drenched pony before her.

"Big Mac bleeding? Applebloom crying?"

Fluttershy then caught sight of the blue alicorn's figure.

"Princess Luna!"

She quickly turned her head back to her window.

"Night during the morning!"

Looking back to Luna, she made her final conclusion.

"Nightmare Moon is back to wreak her terrible vengeance on us! Eeep!"

Before her friend could fall into her usual catatonic state, Twilight firmly grabbed a hold of the terrified pegasus.

"Fluttershy, you've played with a deadly manticore, lectured an enormous dragon, and literally stared down a cockatrice! I need you to show me some of that courage, Big Mac really needs your help now. Please, we can't afford you to pass out!"

"But, but Nightmare—"

"No, that is Princess Luna. It's a long story, but, put simply, Big Mac was assaulted by the Royal Guard. As things are, we can't take Big Mac to the hospital, Ponyville is unsafe for Luna and I right now…"

"But, but why did they do it, Twilight? Why would they hurt Big Mac?"

"I promise I'll explain everything to you. I Pinkie Pie swear. But you have a patient that is in dire need, do you think you can help?"

Fluttershy looked from Twilight to the severely injured pony in her living room. Taking Twilight's words to heart, she bucked up; her expression of horror was soon replaced with one of determination. Somepony required her aid, and she would do all in her power not to fail him.

"Yes Twilight. I can help." Fluttershy responded resolutely, "I'll need you to lay him down on that table and start cleaning his wounds. I'll have Angel get you some wet wash clothes. Angel!"

The rabbit hopped over to Fluttershy quickly. It was clear by his haste that he was far from oblivious to the crisis that was now playing out in his home. Having heard the pegasus' order, Angel saluted and dashed into the kitchen to retrieve the requested rags.

"Good," Fluttershy said, returning her attention back to Twilight, "I'm going to disinfect my hooves and gather my medical supplies. The largest animal I've ever had to care for was a bear, so I think I can, uh, do this."

"Fluttershy, I have no doubt in your ability. I've seen you take the most hopeless creature in and get them back on their feet in no time flat. Even Philomena looked a little better before she combusted."

As Fluttershy trotted into the kitchen, she looked back at her friend and gave her a nasty look.

"Don't ever bring that bird up in this house again, Twilight, I mean, if you don't mind." Fluttershy said, her final words reverting back to her usual meekness.

Realizing her mistake, the unicorn thought it prudent to just shut up and help Luna and Applebloom prepare for Big Mac's surgery. Both her companions had up to this point been silent, doing only their best to comfort the massive pony. Like Angel, they had heard Fluttershy's instructions and immediately followed them.

Using her magic to lift Big Mac onto the table, Luna could not help but be overcome with revulsion at the hideous wounds that marred his body. She had witnessed terrible sights in the past, many that even dwarfed the present, but never had the shadow of death seemed so close to her. The centuries of watching fillies turn to ponies and ponies turn to dust did much to desensitize Luna to the tragedies of life and death, but now her heart could not help but to empathize deeply for the mortal in front of her. The goddess knew that her selfishness was at the root of her morose reaction; being mortal herself she could not simply write off life and death so lightly, especially when death came so unnaturally and undeserving.

Once again, Luna shook off her morbid fears. She would not permit death to come for Big Mac.

Setting him down, Luna lowered her face on level with Big Mac. The red giant opened a single eye and looked at the princess, saying nothing but telling her everything. The pain of every excruciating wound and shattered bone coalesced and was made manifest through the reflection of his swollen and bloody eye. Resisting the urge to cry, Luna whispered gently into the pony's ear.

"Big Macintosh, my champion, I can never repay you for your selflessness, but at the very least I can relieve you from the pain you suffer."

Angel returned, bringing the ponies a bucket of water and several wash rags. Wetting the cloth, Luna wiped the blood from Big Mac's face, his body stiffening from the sting of her touch. Seeing his discomfort, Luna plucked one of her azure feathers and transfigured the plume into her potent sleeping powder. As she dispersed the drug around Big Mac, she lightly sang an ancient lullaby.

"Hush now, quiet now, it's time to go to sleep…"

Big Mac felt a wave of relief pass over him as the fragrant substance soothed his weariness and numbed his pain. He felt the touch of spring on the doorstep of winter; Luna's soft voice sounded to him a chorus of songbirds calling him away to green pastures and a warm sunrise. With a peaceful smile, Big Mac closed his eye and drifted into serenity.

Seeing Big Mac fade, Luna felt fatigue finally catching up with her. Coupled with the fact that she too sustained significant injury, Luna had not slept in a day. Trying to snap out of the sleepiness that now gripped her, Luna slapped herself and shook her head about. The princess couldn't doze off now, Fluttershy needed her assistance, so she continued to clean his wounds.

Returning from the kitchen, the yellow pegasus was now clad in green scrubs and had her mane tied back. In her mouth was a large white medical kit with a red sun blazed on the front. With a stern look on her face, she approached Big Mac and inspected his body. After a minute, Applebloom broke the silence.

"Fluttershy, will Big Mac be okay? You can help him, right?"

"Well, yes, I hope." Fluttershy responded, "Let's see…it seems that Big Mac was hit by a blunt object repeatedly on the torso and several times on the head. The cuts he has on his face I can easily stitch up, no problem, but I worry about blunt trauma possibly sustained on both parts of his body. I'll need to check if there is any internal bleeding, but from the looks of it his back bore most of the strikes so damage to the organs seems unlikely."

"And this," she said with a hint of disgust, turning her attention to the bolt that pierced Big Mac's thigh, "I've seen this type of injury many times, unfortunately. Poaching around Everfree Forest is not too uncommon, you know. For now the arrow is stopping the bleeding, so we can tend to it lastly, but we need to be very, very delicate when we do! I'm almost certain the arrow fragmented some bone, so I'll need to perform surgery."

Twilight was impressed at how quickly her demure friend had analyzed Big Mac's condition and prescribed an appropriate course of action. But Fluttershy was a caretaker; it was only natural for her to be so perceptive. Like the great flock of butterflies that spared her from certain death, Fluttershy was a fragile, gentle savior capable of seemingly miraculous acts. An excellent testament to her destiny, it was fitting that the elegant insects be venerated as the yellow pegasus' emblem.

As Fluttershy began to lay out her instruments, she noticed that Twilight's eyes were bloodshot. It must have been a long night for the unicorn prodigy.

"Twilight, before we start, I need to know if you slept last night at all."

"No Fluttershy, I can't say the princess and I had that luxury."

"Twilight, I can't have you two help me if you're going to doze off mid-way through surgery. I insist that you both go to my bedroom and get some shuteye."

"But…"

"Don't 'but' me, miss! Now take Princess Luna with you upstairs and have a good rest."

Twilight sighed in defeat. There was no point in arguing with the pegasus when she felt the need to be assertive. Besides, Twilight was dead tired and the prospect of sleeping in a soft bed right now was very appealing.

"C'mon princess," Twilight called to Luna, "Fluttershy says we should rest for a bit."

"What?" Luna replied with a look of rejection, "Fluttershy, surely I can be of help! I've already sedated Big Mac an—"

"Princess Luna, if you could please go upstairs…"

"Wha-? I am a goddess, Fluttershy! Not some fil-"

Fluttershy's eyes bore down on Luna, her frightening stare paralyzing the princess.

_"Upstairs!"_

Luna was suddenly compelled to comply with Fluttershy's order, despite her better wishes. She knew full well of "the stare"; it was a very rare ability developed through one's close relationship with the natural world. The fact that it worked on her was what was troubling to Luna, it only reminded her of the limits of being mortal. In her mind, there was nothing worse than a restriction of her liberty. It was partly this dearly held conviction that drove her to insanity during her imprisonment, but even then it was Celestia, her equal, who had banished her. Now she was at the mercy of a soft-spoken pegasus? She could not help but resent Fluttershy and curse the new prison her mortal condition had come to represent. In some ways, it was far worse than the moon.

As Luna obediently ascended the stairway, Fluttershy turned to Twilight.

"Tell the princess I'm sorry for raising my voice, it was, uh, quite rude of me to be so disrespectful, but you two need sleep. Don't worry about me, Angel Bunny and Applebloom will be all the help I'll need to perform the surgery. It's mostly a one pony job, anyway, uh, so please don't feel bad, okay?"

Twilight nodded to her friend and went upstairs, eager to throw herself on a pillow and sleep. She welcomed the reprieve a good rest would provide from the questionable journey she had gotten her and her friends involved in, almost with deadly consequences. Twilight could only hope that Applejack, Pinkie Pie and Rarity could make it out of Ponyville all right. Reaching the top, she entered Fluttershy's room and found Luna asleep on the floor. Twilight gave the princess an apathetic look that just bordered on open distain before jumping into Fluttershy's bed. It had been physically and emotionally trying night in many ways, and Luna was the cause of all of it. The unicorn did her best to chase away this and the many other troubling thoughts plaguing her, closed her eyes and fell asleep. Luckily for her, happy dreams carried her off to the Royal Equestrian Library at Canterlot where a pile of research was waiting for her to tackle.

Luna, however, was not as fortunate as Twilight.

_The princess of the night found herself alone, surrounded in darkness._

_"Celestia! Sis! Where are you?"_

_A feminine, regal laugh was all that responded .Luna's face turned red with anger._

_"Sister! This isn't funny! Show yourself!"_

_"Very well," A voice chuckled, "Let me get the lights then!"_

_A fiery red flash exploded from the void, blinding Luna with an intense, searing heat. Opening her eyes, she found a giant ball of fire before her, a crude mimicry of the sun. As she looked into the fire, she could make out what appeared to be a large pupil gazing intently back at her._

_"I see you Luna! You will never be alone again, for I see all that dwells within your heart and mind. I know all that you have done, plan to do, and will do. "_

_"Celestia, don't do this, you're scaring me!"_

_"Don't fret dear sister, my vision pierces cloud, shadow, earth and flesh. No pony is free of me, all live according to my will in perfect harmony."_

_"No Celly, that isn't what we wanted! It's not right!"_

_"Right?" the voice laughed "There is no good and evil, little sister, only order and chaos! Now take your place in the grand tapestry of my design!"_

_With a cataclysmic thunder, the ball of fire imploded, blinding Luna a second time. Her vision blurred, she checked her new surroundings. She found herself in the middle of a field, the sun above scorching the desolate brown earth. She soon saw a hundred grey earth ponies bearing plows moving towards her in a perfect line, each step they took was in complete unison. As they drew nearer, Luna gasped in horror. The ponies had no eyes, yet each wore the same disturbing smile. Their flanks were bore no cutie mark, but rather a nine digit number. Unable to stand the dystopian scene, Luna turned around only to behold her sister._

_"Why, hello Luna. I see your checking on the crops today too. How responsible of you, I commend your initiative."_

_Celestia sat upon an ornate sedan being carried by several of the Royal Guard. Unlike the farmers, the pegasi had eyes, but their cold, empty stare made Luna question if there really was a difference between the two. Looking back to Celestia, Luna saw that the sun goddess was garbed in the vestments typical of an Imperial Drake: a suit of golden armor covered her entire body while an extravagant red cape lined with fur draped across her figure. Her head was adorned by her usual, simple crown, but in company with her opulent costume it served to accentuate, not diminish, the intimidating stature of the princess. At her side was a seethed long sword and in her hoof was a scepter of many precious metals covered in equally precious gems. The staff was crowned with a ruby sun resembling that of her cutie mark._

_"Celly, what do you think you're doing? Have you looked at yourself? You look ridiculous!"_

_"Aww, you don't like it Luna? That's a shame, after all that trouble I went through to order you one. Would you at least give it a chance? It's the latest fashion."_

_At Celestia's beckoning the Royal Guard brought forth a mannequin displaying the goddess' gift to her sister. The silver armor and the dark blue cape were akin in style to Celestia's save for the intricately forged metal weights and chains decorating the suit._

_"Go on, take it. Come; join me at my side. It's where you belong, after all."_

_"No!" Luna shouted, her anger rising, "I'm not you're puppet, Celly! I do as I please; I belong free in the heavens and so do you!"_

_"What is this?" Celestia responded in feigned surprise and distress, "Nightmare Moon has returned? Somepony stop her before the rivers run red with the blood of fillies!"_

_Instantly, the entire corp. of guards turned, locked their dead gaze on Luna and advanced._

_"What? No Celestia, don't bother. Nightmare Moon exists only in your fairy tales! I'm your sister!"_

_"Oh, you don't look anything like my little sister, you lying traitor!"_

_Panicked, Luna looked at her hooves, and discovered that her coat was now pitch black. Trying to flee from the guard, Luna tried to fly, but found that her wings were missing. Horrified, she tried to teleport, but her magic too failed. Helpless, five guards easily subdued the princess, beat her with clubs, and brought he r to her knees before Celestia. As she struggled with the guards, Luna opened her mouth and heard somepony speak out._

_"You may triumph here Celestia, but I will never bow to you!" the voice said with defiance and contempt, " 'Tis better to reign over the Moon than to serve in Equestria!"_

_The voice and words were not hers, yet they came from her. Was she really Luna or was she Nightmare Moon?_

_"Huh, you won't be so lucky this time, you piece of demon shit. I've waited too long for this." Replied a familiar gruff voice._

_Looking up in fear and disgust, Luna saw that Celestia's face had been replaced with the sneering visage of Captain Braveheart. Drawing his sword and raising it above his head, the captain brought the blade down on Luna's exposed neck._

_"Have a pleasant death, princess! Bwahahaha!"_

Luna awoke in a cold sweat, her heart pounding and her breathing rapid. The dream had been so vivid, so memorable, that she could still hear the captain's laugh ring in her ears. Gaining her bearings, she checked her surroundings nervously, making sure that she had escaped her frightening dream. Assured of her safety, she sighed and rose to her hooves, the shadow of the nightmare still lingering in her mind.

Checking the bed, Luna found Big Mac sleeping peacefully. It seemed that Fluttershy had performed her task with little problem: all of the red pony's wounds had been tended to diligently, each cleaned, stitched and bandaged. Big Mac's right leg was propped up by several pillows, a new cast now covering his thigh. Seeing Big Mac in recovery momentarily dispelled Luna's disturbing dream from her thoughts. She smiled and ran her hoof affectionately through the stallion's yellow mane and kissed his forehead lightly.

"Oh my!"

Luna heard a soft voice and the fumbling rattle of dishes. Turning to the doorway, she found Fluttershy blushing intensely. Around her neck was a tray carrying two bowls of carrot soup, two glasses of ice water, and a single red pill.

"Oh, um, I didn't mean to, uh, oh my, I mean I see you're awake Princess Luna! Would you, uh, care for a late lunch? I thought you might be up, so I, uh, brought extra, you know, just in case."

"That would be lovely, but I just ate not too long ago, …"

Not soon after she spoke these words Luna felt her stomach growl.

"…or perhaps not. Fluttershy, would you be as kind as to tell me the time?"

"Certainly princess, uh, I believe it's about 3:00 in the afternoon, I mean, if it wasn't night still…"

"3:00? Already? It felt so short, but I suppose I should be thankful for that…Fluttershy, do you know where Twilight is? We best be making preparations to move on. Your friends have arrived by now, correct?"

Fluttershy looked to the ground before looking back at Luna, replying in a low voice.

"Um, well, no. Twilight is downstairs, I had to wake her two hours ago to give Big Mac proper bedding, so I think she's a tad, well, grumpy. While we waited for you to get up, I made her some cocoa and she told me your story and plan, too, and, umm..."

An awkward silence.

"…and?" Luna prompted. Fluttershy averted eye contact with the goddess, preferring to instead look upon her non-threatening floorboards.

"I, umm, I, guess I can, uh, trust you. I mean, you seem kind enough to Big Mac…" Fluttershy said, blushing heavily again, "I mean, whatever you did to put him to sleep, that was wonderful. He didn't stir once during the operation and he seemed very tranquil the entire time."

"Everything went all well with the surgery I presume then?"

"Oh, yes, just give him time."

Another awkward silence descended in the room, but this time it was Fluttershy who broke it.

"Uh, if you like, you can take some soup and join Applebloom and Twilight in the kitchen downstairs. I need to attend to Big Mac right now…"

Seeing that she was being dismissed Luna nodded and gave a weak smile.

"Thank you Fluttershy, I will."

Taking the bowl of soup, Luna went downstairs where she was promptly greeted by a worried looking filly.

"Princess Luna, Princess Luna!" Applebloom called out as she dashed to meet the princess."Didja see Big Mac? Do ya think he looks like he's gonna be okay? Fluttershy had me leave when Ah started cryin' durin' the operation, said that'd be best that Ah not see it an' she sent me to the kitchen. Ah haven't seen Big Mac since."

Luna patted Applebloom's red mane and replied.

"He's looking much better now, Applebloom. He's sleeping still, but I don't think it would be much of a problem for Fluttershy if you went to see him."

The goddess was surprised to see that her words of comfort did little to change Applebloom's gloomy expression.

"Ah'm glad to hear it an' all princess, but why did it have to happen? Why'd the Royal Guard hurt Big Mac? Why'd they hit you?"

Luna was now visibly nervous; she could only hope the young pony didn't catch on to it. She didn't want the incident to shatter Applebloom's innocence any more than it had or the truth to ruin her new relationship with the little filly. Luna didn't want to lie, she despised lying, but lie she did.

"Well, Applebloom, you see, do you remember when I told you that I had not told the guard of my absence?"

"Uh-huh."

"Well, in their haste to retrieve me, they used excessive force and mistakenly hit me without knowing it. Yes, and, uh, they saw Big Mac as a threat to my safety."

"Well, he was thrashin' about and beatin' em up, I guess…"

"Exactly, there was…an error in communication. I demoted the captain for that reason."

"But, why'd they want you so badly that they'd wreck mah house?"

Luna was frustrated with the persistent questioning. Her lie was going to have to get bigger. Resigned to this reality, Luna hoped to kill two parasprites with one stone with her next fabrication.

"Well, I was being irresponsible. Today is the Autumn Moon Festival, a ceremony in my honor. Celestia thought it only fair, so in celebration she decided to not raise the sun so that all could appreciate my night sky. However, I don't care for such pointless showboating, so I skipped the festivities. I'd much rather eat pancakes with you!"

Applebloom had her hoof to her chin as she processed Luna's story, a look of concentration dominating her expression. After a brief while, it finally clicked in her head.

"Oh! Okay! That explains a lot, princess, Ah was wonderin' why it was night outside, I was startin' to think that nasty, no-good Nightmare Moon was back or somethin'. Ah asked Twilight why it was dark but she didn't say anythin'. She's been sad all day, maybe you should talk to her?"

Luna looked from the filly to Twilight. The unicorn stood next to the window, gazing into the empty night with a pained expression and her brow furrowed in deep thought.

"I think that's a good idea, Applebloom. Now, go upstairs and see your brother! I'm sure Fluttershy woke him up to take his medicine, you should be there for him."

"Yes ma'am!" Applebloom replied enthusiastically, running past Luna up the stairs. Taking the bowl of carrot soup, Luna trotted over to her sister's student.

"Twilight, would you care for some of Fluttershy's soup? It's nice and hot, despite the cold draft. Normally I'd eat it, but this kind I find to be…unsettling at the moment."

"No thank, princess," Twilight replied in a distant voice, not bothering to break her gaze, "I had some earlier."

Luna rested the bowl on the window's ledge.

"Twilight, is the safety of your friends' bothering you?"

Still refusing to look at the goddess, Twilight responded.

"Yes, but I think they're okay. I doubt if even the Royal Guard could ever catch Pinkie Pie…as for Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy sent one of her messenger birds to alert her to our…plans…I hope it can make it…the wind is unforgiving today…"

As Twilight spoke, her voice trailed off until she abruptly stopped talking all together. Luna was now becoming worried.

"Twilight, look at me."

The unicorn either didn't seem to hear her or refused to comply. Luna's fears were exacerbated by Twilight's dead silence. It came across as she repeated herself.

"Twilight, look at me!"

Reluctantly, she faced the goddess and looked Luna dead square in the eyes. In them the goddess saw the same doubt she had seen earlier at Sweet Apple Acres. Choking back, Luna knew full well what was troubling the young mare.

"You don't trust me."

Twilight looked away from Luna and resumed looking out the window, her face now stern as stone.

"No, no I don't, princess."

Luna was at a loss of words as anger and confusion gripped her. This unicorn, her friend, had provided her with several precious histories, fought the Royal Guard, and saved her from imminent capture and yet she had no faith in her. Trying to check her frustration, Luna did her best to calmly respond.

"Why Twilight? After all we've been through in just a short period of time, why can't you trust me?"

The unicorn turned back to the princess. The doubt in her eyes had been replaced with indignation.

"Why? Why? You want to know why? I've thought long and hard, and it just doesn't make any sense! You came to me for help at the same time Celestia disappeared and then accused her of being some sort of tyrant! But that doesn't fit with what I know it just doesn't!_ Tyrants do not last_, you have to know this, it's one of the golden rules of history! So don't find it surprising that it's been really hard for me to believe you. I just can't rid myself of the feeling that you're manipulating me and my friends with revisions of your own. It's like you want to tarnish Celestia's name! "

Twilight's words were so potent that Luna's ire could not be contained.

"I'm the manipulator!? I'm the slanderer?! I think you have me confused with your benevolent teacher, Twilight. She's built up this world on revision, lies, and careful manipulation!"

"See, you're doing it again!"

Luna paid no heed to the unicorn's reply.

"As her student, you've been subject to her subtle art on a daily basis, so I can only imagine how pained you are to hear this, but just think back to the Grand Galloping Gala. Once my sister found out your commoner friends wanted to attend an elite social event, she counted on their ignorance of noble norms to ruin the stuffy soirée."

"No, no, Celestia said it was the best Grand Galloping Gala ever…nopony got hurt and everypony just laughed it off…"

"I'm sure it was, I'd love to see the nobles and dignitaries scared out of their gaudy tuxedos and dresses, see them put in their place. And that's exactly what Celestia wanted, to remind them who was in charge, who it was that stood in the balance between anarchy and order. Don't fool yourself into thinking she did it for laughs, that's juvenile, Twilight. Celestia would never cause chaos or endanger lives if it didn't meet her ends."

Twilight was troubled, but not fazed by Celestia's words. The unicorn was still clearly angry.

"Princess, you act is if Celestia actually controlled everything, but Equestria is a democracy, I just voted in the provincial elections last month!"

"Twilight, if Celestia were merely a figurehead like you seem to suggest, why would she be attending all those meetings you yourself noted? If you paid any attention to her duties or weren't the least socially oblivious, you would have been aware of all the backdoor politics that transpire at Canterlot Castle!"

Her eyes welling with tears, Twilight tried to respond, but she couldn't find words to express herself. Luna's words stung too greatly.

"My sister loves control, she'll do the most heartless things to secure it." Luna continued, her tone still as fiery as before, "She'd even banish her own sister to the moon!"

Twilight shook her head.

"No, no, no! I, I know what happened a thousand years ago, Luna! You're no innocent!"

"You know nothing of the past!" Luna said, her face burning from Twilight's accusation, "I lived it, I fought it, I suffered it! What do you have? Nothing! Nothing but a collection of dusty dragon books!"

"Stop it, stop it!" Twilight cried, falling to the ground and curling up defensively. Luna stopped her assault. Seeing the unicorn so vulnerable made Luna realize that she had let her emotions get the best of her again.

"Stop it please…just listen!" Twilight pleaded, "How can I trust you when you constantly try to turn me against everything I know, everything I love? Celestia, Lightning Strike…"

The second name caused Luna's ears to perk up in interest. Her curiosity now tempering her anger, she interrupted Twilight.

"Lightning Strike? The pegasus who raided your library and stole your books?"

The memory of the incident summoned several soft tears to stream down Twilight's red cheeks.

"Yes." She responded in a solemn voice, "I was a timid little filly when I became Celestia's pupil. Going out in public with her was a living nightmare, there were so many ponies asking me questions, taking pictures of me…it was just all too much. It became so bad that I couldn't even visit my parents or my brother without being mobbed. Fearing my safety, Celestia assigned me a fresh private from the Royal Equestrian Military Academy, Lightning Strike."

Twilight smiled weakly, her happy memories doing much to soothe her anger.

"At first Lightning Strike did his best to be an average, boring guard. But as time went on, his true fun-loving nature came out. When Celestia was really busy, we'd play in the courtyard instead of having lessons. Sometimes he'd even go as far as to prank me!"

Twilight's smile faded.

"But when we went into town together, he was always professional and very protective. If I ever got into trouble, he'd lecture and lightly discipline me, but he was never insensitive to my feelings. If ever the other fillies made fun of me, I'd run to Lightning Strike and cry and he would pet my mane and call me a strong little trooper and…"

As Twilight rambled, Luna found it difficult to believe that her sister's guards could ever be that affectionate, especially one who had proven himself resolutely obedient and detached.

"… and so It hurt a lot when he was promoted and reassigned." Twilight continued in a low voice, "Celestia offered me another guard, but I refused. That was ten years ago."

Twilight paused and inhaled deeply hoping it would give her the strength to continue her distressing tale. Another tear trickled down the side of her face.

"…Then last night he knocked on my door. I was so happy to see him; I called him by his old nickname and pressed him to catch-up with me, but he just ignored my questions and wasted no words. It was all "Miss Sparkle" that and "Royal mandate" this. As his pegasi started stripping my library, I was shocked beyond words; the only thing I could do was to try to separate the cold guardpony from my memories of Lightning. If he wanted to act like a faceless soldier, I'd treat him like one. It was a petty attempt to block off the pain, but it worked until we met again at Sweet Apple Acres."

"The Lieutenant was there?"

"…Yes. Upstairs." Twilight replied, her body beginning to quiver with emotion, "But this time was different. This time, it was so much worse he, he…"

Twilight could no longer contain herself. Tears burst forth as she raised her voice to fill the house with all that tormented her.

"He called me Sparks! Only he called me that! I didn't want to believe it, my mind still refused to accept that he was my friend! And he hit me, Luna, he smacked me twice! He hit me, and I, I had to shock him! Princess Luna, my heart broke when he fell to the floor, but I could feel nothing. There was too much happening; I just couldn't process all of it. But I love him, Luna, he, he was there for me when my brother joined the academy and left me alone...when I embarrassed myself in public...when I disappointed Princess Celestia...I just don't understand why this had to happen, why he'd do this to me, and-and why I feel so empty!"

"Twilight," Luna said, her anger subdued but not subsided, "I empathize with you, I really do. What you feel is betrayal, something I know all too well. He wronged you, just as Celestia wronged me."

The unicorn's expression hardened at Luna's words.

"No, you're wrong princess," Twilight rebuked, now standing to her hooves, "We betrayed them! I betrayed both Celestia and Lightning Strike! I should have listened to Applejack; I should never have fallen for your lies!"

"My lies?" Luna said, a bit taken aback, "How can you say that? You saw me bleed, you made me bleed! Not even a deity can fake that!"

"That's just it, princess; I don't know what a deity can do. You could have limitless power for all I'd know! In the affairs of goddesses and princesses I'm just as ignorant and stupid as little Applebloom. That's right Luna; I heard what you told her."

Luna looked away, mortified and angered that her little lie had damned her in Twilight's eyes.

"You spun a plausible web of deceit pretty quickly for one who claims to herald truth and expose Celestia's 'lies'. I doubt you hesitated a second when you told her! But why should you? I have piles of research that paint the exact same portrait of you: a deceiver, a trickster!"

"That's not fair Twilight!"Luna said, a tear falling from her eyes, "I wanted to protect Applebloom, I wanted…"

"You wanted her to love you, and you did it through deception." Twilight said pouring as much contempt into her words as possible, "Just like you did to me."

"Twilight, that is a gross exaggeration and you know it!" Luna responded, standing her ground, "It was a white lie, nothing more! Don't try to use it to justify your misguided malice towards me!"

Hearing her words, Twilight's fury receded, leaving only sorrow and shame in its wake.

"I'm, I'm s-s-sorry princess, I, I" Twilight sputtered, fresh tears flowing "I, I'm just so confused, I don't understand anything that's happening, and it scares me!"

As the goddess realized what truly ailed Celestia's student, her hot temper faded. Despite Twilight's harsh words, Luna could only empathize with the pitiful unicorn before her. Nuzzling her, she did her best to comfort the distraught mare.

"No, Twilight" Luna said, her voice now soft and soothing, "I should be sorry. It was wrong for me to burden you with divine politics and conflicts. No mortal can fully comprehend them, no matter how brilliant and wonderful the student is."

Twilight looked into the goddess' eyes only to find the greatest sincerity. Seeing this, she reciprocated Luna's affections in silence, wiping her hot tears away as her face caressed Luna's blue coat.

"I did it because I hoped to discredit Celestia's history," Luna continued, her eyes now closed, "as if it would succeed in proving to you that I'm not evil, that I'm not power hungry witch. I love my sister more than you could possibly hope to understand, it was never my intention to turn you against her. Just...just to question her."

A short silence passed between the two before Luna broke off their embraced and looked Twilight deep into her eyes.

"Twilight, why did you join me if these doubts troubled you so much? What compelled you to comfort me, to defy the Royal Guard, and to assemble the Elements?"

The unicorn sniffled, trying to gather herself before responding.

"Princess…I'm a perfectionist. When I was a young filly, I was so excited to learn everything, but I just ended up getting frustrated by my limitations. Princess Celestia saw this, and she taught me that if ever I could not understand a situation fully, it was best to let my heart guide me."

"Celestia…Celestia taught you that?" Luna questioned, amazed that her sister would ever advocate an emotional response to a problem. It sounded more like something she would advise. Was Celestia genuine with Twilight or did she want to check her student's appetite for knowledge?

"…Yes, but it's always been difficult for me to follow. When you came to my library, every rational bone in my body screamed to dismiss you. But as you told your story, your pain was so genuine and your predicament so disturbing that I couldn't think evil of you. I had to help you; it's what Celestia would have wanted..."

"Twilight, can I ask for you to renew your faith in me? I swear to you on my life that we will find Celestia!"

To Luna's disappointment, Twilight did not respond immediately. Instead, she turned her head away from Luna and looked back to the window.

"…I'm sorry princess, but I just need to clear my head…I'm not used to emotional roller coasters, I need to go outside for a bit."

As Twilight left the cottage, Luna thought of warning her of the Royal Guard or the chilling winds, but she didn't. The unicorn needed to be alone for awhile, and Luna honored that decision, she knew all too well the drive to escape and find solitude. The goddess could use the time herself to eat and perhaps finally look at Twilight's research in peace.

Luna grabbed her bowl of soup and brought it to the kitchen table. Before she could try it, she heard Fluttershy's soft voice coming from upstairs.

"Umm…is…uh, everypony okay down there?"

Luna returned to the stairway and called back to the shy pegasus.

"Yes, we're sorry for the commotion, Twilight and I…we were…just sorting things out between us."

"Oh! Umm, you wouldn't happen to be, uh, done would you?" Fluttershy said, peaking out from the doorway of her bedroom.

"Yes, Twilight's gone out for a brief walk and I'm about to eat, would you care to join me?"

"Umm…I guess, if that's all right…"

Fluttershy descended the stairs nervously and slowly, unsure what to make of all the yelling and gnashing of teeth that just minutes ago filled her house. Meeting the princess at the bottom, the two went into the kitchen. As the princess returned to her bowl at the table Fluttershy noticed that Luna's soup looked as if it had cooled.

"Princess Luna, let me get you another bowl, that has to be cold by now." Fluttershy said as she poured herself and Luna more soup from the pot on the stove.

"Thank you for your hospitality, Fluttershy." Luna said politely and calmly, trying her best to spare Fluttershy from the intense emotional aftermath of her fight with Twilight, "This whole affair has taxed your strength at a moment's notice and yet your kindness has not diminished the slightest."

"Oh, yes, I'm always glad to help, princess, even if I'm…a little frightened. Can I get you anything else?"

Luna thought for a moment and replied.

"Actually, yes Fluttershy, you can. Do you recall seeing Twilight's saddlebags?"

"Uh, why yes. Twilight left it in my room, would you like me to fetch it for you?"

"I would appreciate that a lot, thank you for offering."

It did not take the yellow pegasus long to retrieve Twilight's things for Luna. Opening it up, Luna was surprised to see so many pages of translation; she did not remember Twilight's compilation to be that voluminous when she packed it. It would take days to read through all of it, time that would be best spent towards finding Celestia. But Luna was good at digesting information, so she was sure a quick skim, though not giving the unicorn's work justice, would suffice for her purposes.

Taking a sip of her soup as she glanced over the documents, Luna quickly realized that Twilight had not been merely translating the books. The margins were covered with her notes, spanning from typical translation explanations to her own empirical research into the topics. The tedious effort evident in the writing made it clear to the goddess that Twilight wasn't just brushing up on her Wyrmish, this was her hobby. It was of little wonder why the unicorn felt so torn now; there was probably nopony in Equestria that had studied Luna's 'history' more.

Taking a particularly note-riddled page from _Pestilence of the Moon Witch_, Luna began to read:

…_The Nightmare Moon and the Princess of Light struggled in open conflict, neither ceasing to sleep or eat. For many years, the sun and moon did battle in the heavens. When one sister overcame the other, their respective cosmic body would dominate the sky, causing great confusion and disorder in Equestria. The normality of the days and seasons in tatters, crops between the Years of Despair* (1001- 1033) failed to grow in sufficient quantity*. Thousands of the peasantry died of starvation as a result of the cruel power lust of the black witch*. So many dead could not be contained by the graveyards, and thus many nameless funerals for the dead were performed. They were interred en masse*_.

Luna stopped to read Twilight's citation notes.

_Doctor Van der Hoof writes of several mass graves found not too far off from Stalliongrad and St. Ponyburg, two of the oldest towns in this province. He lists several likely explanations, but fails to give a definitive conclusion. I'm certain that here I've found what he wanted to say. (Van Der Hoof, Dusty. "A Dirty Business: The Reasons for Mass Burial." Journal of Equestrian Archeaology 34.1 (2011): 212-28.)_

_The years given are my own conjecture, the actual text does not follow conventional Equestrian dating, but rather old Wyrmish methods._

_Who the "black witch" in this sentence isn't specified, though probably Nightmare Moon. _

_A more literal translation of the text is a bit more vivid: "The withered bodies of the dead were flung into many open pits until the ground was so full of flesh that one could swear that Mother Earth herself was dead and rotting." A little extreme? Probably an exaggeration._

Perplexed, Luna continued to the translation of _History of the Dark Shadow,_ searching for an equally enlightening entry from Twilight until she came upon it.

_[The Nightmare consumed all life. With one hoof she rose the cruel and wicked to power, with the other she shielded them from the wrath of the sun goddess. The war in the heavens soon spilled to the lands of Equestria as the Nightmare's nobles and allies sought to dominate all. With the help of the Dark One's black magic*, they summoned fell beasts of black fire* to join their armies on the field of battle. Town after town fell to their forces until at last they reached Canterlot. The city's defenses were led by the valorous Royal Guard, who successfully repelled the assault with the aid of a young dragon called Blackteeth._

Again, Luna checked Twilight's adjoined notes.

_Blackteeth is a legendary figure in Canterlot, but there has been little proof he ever existed._

_The "Dark One's" identity is uncertain, but probably Nightmare Moon. _

_Visited Canterlot 5-4-2011. Noted that many of the remains of the old city walls stored in the museum archives are scorched with fire. Likely evidence for the siege._

_5-8-2011, found an article detailing the excavations of medieval weaponry, armory, and remains near Canterlot. Also a surprisingly large store is kept in the archives and not on display._

_6-11-2011, Asked Celestia about the siege via letter. Her response was disappointing, she told me to go hang out with my friends._

_6-26-2011Found more evidence of the Lunar War in the census records. This has been another fruitful trip to Canterlot, I'm lucky to have gotten copies. Will have Spike organize them_.

Luna stopped reading. Twilight's research was far more detailed and explored than she had been counting on. The goddess was now quite upset: had Celestia simply fabricated a myth or actually determined the outcome of Equestria's history? And then she recalled Celestia's thoughtless slip.

_"It took me 150 years to fix the damage your last outburst caused."_

The moon goddess knew her sister was a dictator, but she never believed Celestia to be prepared to sacrifice droves of innocents in war and famine just "to fix the damage" Luna's challenge brought about. But the notion seemed increasingly credible…

Luna shook herself. Why was she willing to think the worst of her sister? Was it because nopony else would dare do so or was she being just as unfair as Twilight had been with her? Thinking back to Big Mac's words, she quietly reflected her own faults as she continued to flip through Twilight's translations.

/

Twilight walked slowly past the gate to Fluttershy's cottage, her mind as distant as the stars above her. As she neared Everfree Forest, she paused and gazed at the enigma. Why was it that the weather required no upkeep there? Was weather not actually dependent on the labor of pegasi? Twilight tried to rid herself of these thoughts, but to little success. Luna's talk of conspiracy was infectious, everything she took for granted now needed to be reevaluated. It was painful to think that Celestia could orchestrate such a complex world by herself, but Luna's arguments were not fantastical. Twilight knew they could be true. However, she also knew that Luna was just as passionate and emotionally driven as her research had suggested Nightmare Moon was. The possibility that Luna was blameless seemed remote, but it was probably best to trust her. She had sworn upon her life, essentially the doom or salvation of the world, that she would find Celestia. Twilight decided that she had little other course to take but help restore the goddess's immortality.

Looking to the stars, Twilight lost herself in thought. Unbeknownst to her, the roaring wind deafened her to the approach of a flying pegasus. Descending, the pegasus' hooves slammed into the ground with a thud, catching Twilight by surprise.

"Rainbow Dash?"

The figure stepped forward, the moonlight catching his golden armor and red plumed helmet.

/


	5. Chapter 5

Frigid Winds and Burning Hearts

Part 5

Floating in the skies above the outskirts of Ponyville, an extravagant cloud castle swayed to and fro as the unrelenting winds threatened to disperse it back into nothingness. Thankfully for the rainbow-maned resident, her abode was safeguarded by fine pegasi craftsmanship and unicorn charms, leaving her with little to fear as she continued to snooze undisturbed. Yes, it was nearing 4:00 in the afternoon and yet Rainbow Dash was tucked firmly in her bed and snoring heavily. Well, that is until an ungodly buzz blared from her alarm clock.

Bzzzzzttt.

"Ugh, you gotta be kidding me!"

Tossed cruelly and unnaturally from the depths of her tranquil slumber, Rainbow Dash sat up straight in her bed slowly, her eyelids groggily leveled in annoyance. If her friends were to see her now, they would most likely chalk her behavior up to her penchant for lapsing into spontaneous bouts of laziness, but that was not the case today. Yesterday had been utterly grueling for Ponyville's Weather Officer. Not only had she taken a double shift, she also had the misfortune of being on duty during the arrival of an unscheduled tempest. Her superiors at the Equestrian Bureau of Weather Services ordered that she find the source and correct the problem, so she had been up late trying to overcome the Arctic blasts of air and put a reign on it, but to little avail. Rainbow Dash was beyond frustrated with the unexpected anomaly, she felt as if her job might as well entail taming the entirety of Everfree Forest itself. Flying for hours in freezing conditions, Rainbow Dash and her colleagues failed to harness the storm. Her report back was not taken well with her boss, a hot-headed pegasus who proceeded to chew her out for being incompetent and unprofessional. Adding more to her humiliation and workload, she was given a mountain of paperwork to prepare and sign so that the higher echelons of government could know how much she sucked. The midnight oil burned at Dash's home until the wee hours of the morning as she trudged through endless endless piles of paper, each form she completed being more difficult and absurd as the last. The reckless pegasus had filled out her share of damage reports back to headquarters, but this was by far the single greatest waste of time the young mare had ever experienced. The questions either pertained to why she couldn't accomplish her orders and what more she could've done to aid her co-workers, or were trying to flush out character weaknesses. But what was Rainbow Dash to do? If she knew any of the answers, she wouldn't need to be sitting around writing about it! But that's life when you're employed by the Equestrian government, so she did her best to write some nonsense, send it off to the mailbox, and hit the hay in what she wished could've been ten seconds flat. It was more like four hours.

As Dash looked to the clock, she sighed and got up. She knew that ten hours was more sleep than she should need, but her body still ached from her long struggle against the rouge winds. Jumping out of bed, Rainbow Dash stretched her muscles in an effort to alleviate the tension in her limbs, but she was shaken off balance as another furious gust of wind buffeted her abode.

"Seriously? Seriously it's still going at it?" Rainbow Dash shouted, trotting over to her window "What the hay is up with the weather?! Celestia, I'm sorry for the foal that has to work today…wait wha-?"

As she glanced out her window, she was not only greeted by another chilling breeze but a familiar night sky. Dash quickly flew back to her clock. Could she have slept a whole day? No, she had set her alarm to make sure that didn't ever happen…again. Before she could dwell longer on the mystery at hoof, she heard a faint sound emanating from the heart of the wind's howl. Looking back out her window and squinting her eyes, the pegasus could make out a shadowy figure approaching her. With a loud shriek, a falcon swooped right past her and perched itself on the bed. Shivering, the bird looked at Rainbow Dash and gave another cry, drawing the pegasus' attention to the note tied around its leg.

"Oh Screech, you got a message for me, buddy?" Rainbow Dash asked, recognizing the bird as being Fluttershy's. The bird again shrieked and flew to Rainbow Dash, landing on her outstretched hoof. The pegasus grimaced a bit as the bird bore its talons into her flesh, but calmly untied the letter nonetheless, doing her best not to exacerbate the situation by spooking it. Shoeing the falcon off her, Rainbow Dash saw that the hoofwriting of the note was not Fluttershy's but Twilight's. Curious, she began to read:

_Rainbow Dash,_

_As time and writing space will not permit me to be as detailed as I would normally like, I'm going to be blunt: I desperately need you to bring your Elemental jewel to Fluttershy's cottage. But be wary, the Royal Guard and the Equestrian Army are hunting us, so keep your distance. With me is Princess Luna. She is not to blame for the night you see outside. It is my belief that she is not Nightmare Moon. Celestia went missing shortly after Luna left Canterlot, so there will be widespread rumor that Luna kidnapped her. DON'T believe it._

_In sum, be careful, avoid the guards, and get to Fluttershy's with the jewel._

_Twilight Sparkle_

Despite the letter's urgent tone and seemingly apocalyptic content, Rainbow Dash could not help but grin at her friend's request. Twilight had led Dash and company through several adventures at the behest of Princess Celestia, and every time they came up on top. It was the boost the pegasus needed: so what if she couldn't stop a stupid little wind storm? In the past she had defeated a moonbent goddess, kicked a dragon's jaw in, and perfected the impossible Sonic Rainboom. As she grabbed her Element and flew out the window headfirst into the opposing gale, she knew pretty soon she was going to add "delivered goddesses from doom, and brought the sun back again" on her résumé. The bureaucrats at Weather Services could go chew on those apples!

She was so freakin' awesome. Oh, and her friends. They were pretty cool too.

As the cold wind brushed against her feathers, Rainbow Dash felt her body burn with renewed zeal and energy. Her aches disappeared as her newfound strength coursed through her, emboldening her to press on faster. The bite of the freezing current did little to slow her, if anything its rough caress invigorated the cyan pegasus as she defied its forceful trajectory. Then, as if the tempest itself admired the pegasus' gusto and resilience, the wind changed its course to favor Rainbow Dash's flight path. Exhilarated and proud, Rainbow Dash shouted as the winds accelerated her speed.

"That's right, greatest flier in Equestria comin' through! Not even these freak winds can keep me down!"

Out of the corner of her eye she caught a glimmer. Slowing down a bit, she double-checked. The night made it difficult to discern for certainty, but it looked as if it was one of Celestia's elite guards on patrol. Only they could wear golden armor, and Rainbow Dash doubted that anypony less than a Royal Guard would be out flying in this weather. The pegasus felt a wave of anxiety pass through her, and it wasn't out of any concern for her safety. No, she was conflicted over whether she should listen to Twilight's letter and avoid the guard or give into her irrational temptation to race him. Rainbow Dash knew that there were few pegasi faster than the Royal Guard; it was not uncommon for veterans from the corp. to join the Wonderbolts or vice versa. It would be the ultimate test for the young aerial daredevil. Despite the possibility of setting up a match in happier times, Rainbow Dash was an impatient opportunist at heart. Her arrogant confidence also prodded her on: surely the cold, armored pegasus would comically fall by the wayside as soon as Dash could pull out her vast assortment of tricks.

Resolved and ready to race, the pegasus closed her eyes and bolted forward.

"Sorry Twilight, but I just gotta do this!"

/

Lt. Nightshade soared the skies on the northern outskirts of Ponyville running reconnaissance. Alone, the guard was free to display his displeasure with his lot.

"The hay is General Hawkeyes thinking?" the pegasus thought "Placing _him_ in command before _me_! Bah! The guy's a second-rate soldier..."

A multi-colored blur blew past the lieutenant's periphery and stopped before him.

"Hey rust bucket! Think you got the stuff to take on the best?"

"You, halt in the name of Celestia!"

"Don't think so, I think the princess would prefer to see me race! C'mon slowpoke, show me what you got!"

As the gutsy pegasus flew off ahead, Lieutenant Nightshade could not help but chuckle. It had been a long time since anypony had the nerve to challenge the former Wonderbolt performer. He was going to have fun with this arrest.

/

Rainbow Dash weaved through the storm with a smug smile. Looking back, she saw no sign of her pursuer. Rainbow Dash laughed to herself. Elite Royal Guard? This wasn't even a contest, it was just plain pitiful. Preparing to perform a victory loop, she saw a shadow diving from above in her direction. As the hunting falcon strikes and stuns its prey, so too did Nightshade. The crushing blow sent Rainbow Dash plummeting, but before the lieutenant could apprehend her, she turned course and bolted away. The lieutenant was impressed and a tad amazed; he had never seen somepony shake off such a violent wallop in such a short frame of time. This one was clearly made of tougher stuff.

The guard's surprise attack shook Rainbow Dash to the core, but she had endured far more vicious threats to her bodily integrity. However, her faith in her ability now came into question. Why did her stupid pride have to get in the way all the time? There wasn't even anypony to see a possible victory and now she was close to be taken down by the Royal Guard! Facehoofing, Rainbow Dash knew she should've just listened to Twilight. Her friends badly needed her and now she was stuck in a terrible mess she could have easily avoided.

"Get a hold of yourself Dash!" she thought to herself, "You can shake off this chump, no problem! Show him your best stuff and he won't stand a chance!"

As the lieutenant closed the gap, Rainbow Dash quickly split off to the right and looped about. Checking over her shoulder, she found that the guard had matched her moves with little effort. Trying several more of her aerial stunts, she found herself no closer to losing the persistent and talented lieutenant. Growling to herself, Rainbow Dash corkscrewed to the left and shot straight up. Sure enough, the guard was still on her tail and getting closer. Rainbow Dash knew that if it wasn't for her rival's armor, she would've been in custody by now. Trying several more acrobatic feats in the freezing stratosphere, Rainbow Dash quickly came to the realization that she couldn't hold off her opponent for much longer. There was only one trick she knew the guard could never hope to replicate: the Sonic Rainboom.

"Hey buddy," Rainbow Dash panted, getting a good look at the guard "You're really pretty good for a tin can! But let's see if you're got what it takes to follow this through!"

Rainbow Dash dove straight down, shattering the ice from her feathers and accelerating rapidly. Looking to her side, she saw the lieutenant nearing her. Grinning as she felt the sound barrier cracking around her, she couldn't help but to leave the guard with a snide quip.

"You're getting old Nightshade, no wonder they kicked you off the squad!"

Before the angry lieutenant could get a shot back, a magnificent array of color and light blinded and disoriented him. Not soon later, a deafening boom pealed through the skies, overloading his senses and striking him from the sky. Fortunately the boughs of Everfree Forest caught the soldier, sparing him from an unpleasant end.

Rainbow Dash's face was beaming as she prepared to land. Not only had she pulled off the Sonic Rainboom in the most adverse conditions, she had also defeated a former member of the Wonderbolts! Her hooves touching the solid earth, Rainbow Dash looked back and shouted.

"Ha! The Shadow Swoop is classic Nightshade, that's for sure, but it's no match for Rainbow Dash's super-awesome-amazing-totally undefeatable-super epic-legendary Sonic Rainboom! Yeah!"

A panicked voice from behind her dampened Rainbow Dash's celebratory spirit.

"Rainbow, what have you done?"

/

"Umm…Princess Luna?"

"Yes Fluttershy?"

"Oh, uh, do you not like the soup? It's okay if you don't, I don't mind, but can I get you something else?"

Luna looked up from the pile of papers and remembered the carrot soup Fluttershy had just served her but fifteen minutes ago. She had been busy searching through Twilight's research hoping to find an account of that fateful day, but to little luck. No longer immersed with the translations, Luna could see now that she had made a mess of what had been a meticulously assembled and organized set of documents. Luna huffed, disappointed that she couldn't even keep a bunch of loose papers in order. Turning to Fluttershy, the goddess realized that she had failed to respond promptly to the pegasus' question and now ran the risk of appearing distant and unthankful.

"Oh no, Fluttershy, it just slipped my mind. Pardon my rudeness."

Taking a sip, she found that, like her first bowl, it was now stone cold. The substance left a bitter aftertaste in her mouth, but she tolerated it and managed to finish Fluttershy's soup. Rising from the table, Luna was about to put her dish in the sink when she caught the sight of several strewn papers underneath the table. Setting the dish aside, she levitated the papers to her face as she returned to her seat. They were the first pages of Twilight's translation of [i]Triumph of the Sun Goddess[/i] and exactly what she had wanted to discover. Anxious, she began to read the text that was strangely lacking any of Twilight's usual notes. This had been her last translation.

_In the 1010th year of the reign of Princess Celestia of Equestria, the Era of Darkness began. It was at this time the jealousy and ambition of the moon goddess allowed a great demon to enter and poison her heart against Celestia. In the shadows of the court at Canterlot, the corrupt goddess consolidated her support among the cruel and greedy nobility who sought only to place a yoke on all ponies and races. From the palace throne room of her domain at Everfree, the Nightmare Moon declared open rebellion against her sister's rule. Those loyal to the sun goddess took up arms to defend their country from the unholy onslaught the personal armies of the unified nobles under the banner of the Demon unleashed upon Equestria._

Luna skimmed through the remaining pages to see if Twilight had translated the passage concerning the titular "triumph" of Celestia. She was not surprised to turn up empty-hoofed. Sighing, she found her mind straying back to that fateful day, the day she lived over and over during her imprisonment…

/

From the balcony of her castle, Luna stood beside her sister in anticipation as they prepared to usher in a new night. As her sister set the sun, her moon rose to shine its pale light upon the night goddess' personal domain of Everfree. Luna had named it thusly for good reason: it reflected the boundless freedom she valued above all else. She had resisted her sister's pressures to bring the natural law of her forest into accordance with Celestia's weather system for many years until the sun goddess finally relented under the condition that it house Equestria's more dangerous beasts. Luna consented willingly; Celestia's proposal only enhanced the libertarian image of Everfree she sought to cultivate. But above all, she wanted to demonstrate to her sister how superfluous Celestia's intricate and complex social systems really were when compared to the harmony one finds in the state of nature. Two hundred years had passed though, and her sister did not even bother to see how well the ponies on her lands lived. Granted, not many dared to live in her forest, but those who did had unprecedented freedom to express themselves and innovate undisturbed. She had brought up Everfree's development with Celestia before, but she only laughed lovingly and said "Little sister, you can't build a city with only bards and lyres!"

She had missed the point clearly

Luna had grown weary with Celestia's obsession with order and how she had drawn Luna into it. She was charged not with just the upkeep and administration of Everfree, but a third of the lands of Equestria. Everyday she had to deal with court politics she didn't like or care about, sign a bunch of Celestia's decrees, and mix with the insipid nobility among a mountain of other duties. It seemed nearly everything she did was for her sister. The fact that Luna still loved Celestia dearly made it all the more frustrating for the goddess of the night. When it came to politics and reforms, Celestia largely wrote off Luna's ideas as "ideal" at best and "cute" at worst. At the same time, Luna could see her sister consumed by tedious policy formulations, class interest balancing acts, and endless pomp and ceremony.

But this would end today. Today, Celestia would learn that Luna did not need her approval. She would save both Celestia and herself from this soul crushing labor and return them to those early days of creation when things were far simpler, more beautiful, and innocent. Again they could play among the stars untroubled by the petty squabbles of their subjects. It was what was best for the goddesses.

Their duties complete, Celestia turned to her pensive sister and spoke with an amused, though slightly nervous curiosity.

"Luna, I think I've been more than fair with you in indulging your desire to keep a secret. Would you finally mind telling me what this banquet is about?"

Luna lightly smiled, and responded cheerily enough.

"Are you still trying to apply rhyme and reason to my behavior? Come on Celestia, I felt like it. I fancied good company, good music, and good drink so I'm throwing a grand feast in the honor of, well, merriment I guess."

"…this is all very well, but the 'company' you speak of happens to be almost every noble in the country. Even I think it's a nightmare; after all, you're tossing all that bad blood under one roof and giving it drink! It's going to be a night of hoof-kissing and back-stabbing, I can feel it, that's what these things are always about. It's hardly anything like your usual celebrations... "

Celestia weaved in front of Luna and gave her a big smile.

"No, yours are much, much more _fun._ The singing, the dancing, the roaring fire, the joy of a hundred ponies getting lost in the madness of it all...you won't find that in these halls. No, you'd have to go to a town or a village to celebrate like that. So can you really tell me that you'd be happier stuck here than out there, where, by all means, you've made a name for yourself as the patroness of parties?"

Luna just managed to stop herself from blushing.

"…Well, no. But you know that I like to...shake things up a bit. I'm trying something new, something I knew I could get you to show up at! That should be excuse enough for me, Celly, I miss seeing you everyday..."

Celestia shook her head and sighed.

"I'm sorry Luna, you know that I try..."

"And you know that I try, too." Luna interrupted, "This isn't just about me stealing you away. Tonight, not only are you here, but so are a bunch of nobles that don't really like me much. I want...I want to look good, to them that is. I want them to be confident in me. You know more than anyone how important that is, right? So why shouldn't I try my luck with it?"

The sun goddess continued to eye her sister with suspicion as they entered the castle, but Luna kept her disposition. Over the millennia, she had done her best to learn how to lie to Celestia, but she would be a foal to think she could completely deceive the sun goddess, especially when politics were involved. All Luna could do was delay the revelation.

It was a miracle in itself that her advisor, Morning Star, had garnered such support for Luna's plan among much of Equestria's nobility without being arrested and tried for treason. Luna knew her sister had been increasingly wary of the Court at Everfree, once even going so far as arriving unannounced to the palace with a hundred of her elite Royal Guard. It was a show of strength that was otherwise largely uneventful, Celestia merely asked Luna if she wanted to attend the jousting tourney at Canterlot and left. Still, it was incredibly distressing to the moon goddess, she hated keeping her sister in the dark, but Luna knew that, left to her own devices, Celestia would never cede control. She had to have it imposed on her.

Entering the throne room, Luna was impressed with the décor the artisans under her patronage succeeded in preparing for the banquet. Black, blue, and purple tapestries stretched across the hall, each embroidered with diamonds to reflect Luna's night sky in the most minute detail. Several banners running along the columns depicted the creation of Equestria, the defeat of Discord, the early struggles with the Dragon Lords, and the foundations of Canterlot and Everfree. They were all so beautifully crafted that Luna was ashamed of the fate she had planned for the lavish designs, but if it was one thing Luna had learned from Celestia it was that political theater worked. Appearances were everything; it was this reason that Celestia insisted she always assume her grandiose form when performing her courtly duties. Nearly as tall as her sister and dressed in the traditional silver regalia of her court, Luna indeed looked far more intimidating in poise and demeanor. But what was most striking about Luna was her mane. In it, the infinite cosmos were channeled with such splendor that those who dared to look too long upon it would risk becoming lost in its immeasurable and incomprehensible beauty and wonder. Her fair and regal appearance engendered humility, obedience, and awe in her subjects, just as Celestia's did.

But today would be different; Luna would use her intimidating divinity to further her interest, not Celestia's.

A pegasus guard donned in silver approached the pair of goddesses, bowed and saluted.

"Your majesty Princess Luna, we have word that the noble's caravan has neared Everfree Castle. They should be here shortly."

His message delivered, the guard returned to his post. At the news, Luna summoned several servants to begin setting the several long tables and finish preparations with the food. Looking back to Celestia, Luna could see that her sister was equally struck by the opulence of her hall.

"I have never seen your castle as a grand as it looks now, Luna." Celestia said distantly, "This promises to be quite the feast…"

"Oh Celly," Luna replied happily, "I promise you that we will long remember tonight as one of great joy. Come, help me greet the guests and I'll show you the crowning pièce de résistance of Everfree Castle."

Luna knew she had caught her sister's intrigue. Guiding Celestia down the winding staircases to the foyer, Luna turned to her surprised sister and pointed to the centerpiece of the room. It was a large stone relief of the moon, and from its base outstretched five pedestals, each one bearing a fragment of the most powerful force in Equestria: the Elements of Harmony. The five jewels shone brightly from their perch while the moon radiated with the magic of the sixth element. It was an awe inspiring sight, even for the immortals.

"Luna, I entrusted you to safeguard the Elements, not put them out on display!" Celestia said, not amused by the prospect of such legendary power in the presence of corruptible ponies.

"Oh, relax Celly! Only we can use its power, no mortal could ever even have the hope to touch them; I don't think their frail bodies could handle it."

"The opulence of your banquet seems to be…over the top. What do you wish to accomplish with placing the Elements in front of everypony?"

"Oh, I don't know, they're quite the sight, don't you think?"

Luna noticed her sister looked uneasy.

"Don't worry; my guards will keep vigil watch over them. I'll have them moved to the dungeons tomorrow, but please, can we keep them out, for me?"

Celestia's frown turned to a smile.

"Oh all right Luna, you're little showcase can remain here tonight. I have to say, it really is magnificent to behold."

The two sisters stood in silence before the Elements. Though their words were pleasant, the tension between was becoming steadily more apparent. At length, Celestia spoke.

"…Luna."

"Yes ?"

"You know you can tell me anything, right?"

"Of course, that's never been a problem, sister."

Celestia paused before responding again.

"Luna, we were meant to rule together. I want you to know that you're not alone, that I'm here to listen to you. Waste no words on your advisors, if something troubles you, write directly to me."

Luna repressed the urge to cringe at her sister's familiar line. She hated when Celestia said they were "meant" to rule as if they were fated to endlessly toil to keep everypony in line. Luna scoffed at the very notion of destiny, it was an idea propagated by both the elite to justify their standing and the destitute who could not help but resign themselves to mediocrity in despair. In her heart, the goddess knew that fate was not some abstract cosmic force, but the sum outcome of one's choice.

"Yes sister, I know."

"No, I don't think you do. Luna, don't believe Morning Star's presence in my court went unnoticed. Sister, do not trust her, she's become a snake…"

Celestia was interrupted by the heralding of trumpets. Relieved momentarily from her sister's scrutiny, Luna called to her guards to open the castle door and walked over to meet her guests. It was Celestia's custom to personally greet every guest, thus Luna knew it to be an excellent way of shaking off her sister without appearing evasive. Well, too evasive.

The nobles of Equestria, having traveled together through the wild of Everfree under the protection of mercenaries and their own knights, arrived as one massive entourage. Greeted by the goddesses, they were directed by Luna's servants to the great hall. It took more than an hour to welcome everypony before the goddesses themselves returned to Luna's throne room.

As they walked, Luna could feel her sister's stare on the back of her neck. She closed her eyes, collected herself, and turned to Celestia.

"Is there a problem?"

"No, not yet, Luna. I pray there will be none, but secrets harbor both little faith and unwanted consequences."

Luna shuddered at her sister's words. She knew she had been caught, but she would not be persuaded from her path. Resolved, Luna decided to move forward with her plans. There would be no time for feasting tonight.

As the two sisters entered the hall, everypony in the hall arose. Their names and titles were announced by the herald and trumpets sounded as they processed side-by-side to the throne. Awaiting the goddesses was Luna's advisor, Morning Star, a white unicorn with a blazing red mane. Celestia gave the mare a piercing stare before sitting upon the regal, gilded chair made precisely for the occasion of her visits to Everfree. Morning Star recoiled and turned quickly to Luna. The goddess heard her whisper the usual political assessments and suggestions into her ear, but Luna cared not for details or Morning Star, at that matter. Her moment of liberation drew ever nearer. Though the anticipation bearing down on her was crushing, the moon goddess fought to keep a level head.

Taking her place at her throne, Luna faced the large audience of Equestria's elite. Ideally, she wanted to wait until after the feasting before she made her announcement. Then at least Celly's fondness for fine wines would temper her reaction. Or make it worse. Luna shook her head; she was getting tired with this ceaseless and drawn out planning, she hated constantly living outside the present in preparation for the future.

And now was her moment to do so.

"Mares and Gentlecolts, thank you all for travelling so far from your homes to Everfree. I am sure many of you had your doubts and fears as you entered the forest. Rumors of beasts, poisons, and the oft unforgiving and indomitable spirit of the forest are not born from simply the drunken musings of yeoponies. Yet, despite all the evils that lay before you and the warnings of your kinsmen, you marched forth unwavering in your stride or purpose, dutifully answering my summons. But what did you encounter in the forest? Did you smell the fragrance of the summer rain couple with the aroma of exotic flowers? Did you hear the river serpent's tranquil song or the manticore's majestic roar? Did you see your anxieties dispelled, the words of your fellows proven to be nothing but exaggeration? In good faith you embarked into the heart of the unknown, abandoning the securities and predictability of the mundane that daily we take comfort from."

Luna paused and collected herself, the breath before the plunge

"Since the dawn of the world's making have my sister and I watched over you with gentle care and great love. But a day must come when the foal must fly and master the skies by the strength of her own wings and the fortitude which grows in her heart. On this day, you affirmed what I have observed for the past century. The hour has come for me to free you, to allow you to reach the potential my sister and I endowed upon each and every one of you, our most cherished creation!"

Luna heard Celestia stir in her chair and arise.

"With great pride, I abdicate the throne of Equestria! No longer shall you call me 'princess'! Rather, you shall know me as the night mare! For I am the moon, I am the goddess of the night, I am Luna, and I shall be forever free!"

At those words and a sudden flash, Luna assumed her azure, diminutive form. Removing her crown, she cast it to the floor and crushed it under her hoof. As it smashed to pieces, the regal tapestries and banners ignited in blue flame, incinerating instantaneously. Confused shouting erupted from the courtroom floor, but Luna cared only to see her sister. Turning back to her throne, Luna saw Morning Star deliver the letter to the stupefied sun goddess. Reading it with mouth agape, a powerful wrath soon cleansed Celestia of her shock. Burning the paper, she confronted the white pony before her.

"What madness is this, Morning Star!? I have given you everything but my throne, and now you want that too? You greedy little girl, when will you ever be content?!"

Morning Star smirked and replied, but Luna did not hear her words.

Her horn glowing, Celestia gripped the white unicorn by the throat and raised her into the air. Worried by her sister's unusual temper, Luna sought to intervene.

"Celly stop! Put her down now!"

Celestia turned to Luna, her anger now mixed with anguish and her words filled with concerned love and fear. A single tear rolled down her face.

"Luna, she used you! She used you to hurt me, to undermine and destroy everything we made! I can't let her free to sew more dissent and ruin across our lands!"

"Celestia, _don't_! I will never forgive you if you take her life!"

A look of doubt washed over Celestia's face, but she did not lessen her grip the slightest. In vain Morning Star tried to counter the sun goddess' magic, but a mortal could never hope to contend with such power. Seeing her sister unresponsive, Luna made a fateful decision.

"Forgive me, sister…"

With a brutal kick to the side, Luna knocked Celestia to her knees. Morning Star fell to the ground and scurried into the rabble of nobles who continued to debate and argue loudly. Celestia looked betrayed as she stared at her sister.

"Why Luna?" she coughed, letting the air back into her lungs, "Why did you lie to me? It didn't have to come to this if you just talked to me!"

"As if you would listen with any sincerity! No sister, this was the only way. The sun sets on our rule; come, let us at least leave gracefully into the night."

Rising to her hooves, Celestia replied; the love in her voice now punctuated with a sober seriousness.

"Luna, you have thrown Equestria to the wolves! And for what? Do you not understand what you've done? You hate the nobility and yet you've blindly entrusted them to rule our subjects with free reign! A corrupt republic will serve only their interests, the rest be damned!"

"Don't lecture me, Celestia! Yes, I hate them. I hate what you have made them to be. But as it is, only they can take my place. It is not like they can hope to oppress the ponies forever. Time will march on; their rule will come and go as ours has."

"How long will that be, Luna? How many starving must waste away on the streets while the gluttonous bastards binge upon the finest foods and revel in decadence! And then what? Must a bloody revolution claim more lives!"

"This is not our concern! Ponies live, ponies die, it is all part of the cycle of harmony. We cannot pretend to save everypony from an unhappy end!"

From the courtroom floor, a chalice of wine was chucked with magical force at Celestia, beaming her across the face. It was the straw that broke the pony's back. Enraged, she faced the mob.

"Be gone, you miserable, depraved lot!" Celestia cursed, accentuating her words with a terrifying wrath. With tremendous power and a deafening thunder, Everfree shook from its foundations as a white light consumed the room. Luna shielded her eyes from the sheer intensity of the blast. As she opened her eyes, she saw everypony in the court had been spirited away by Celestia's will. Luna was amazed that her sister, though a goddess, could be capable of such complex feats of magic. Looking to her sister, Luna found Celestia again on her knees, spent and weary. Breathing heavily, she met Luna's gaze.

"Luna," she huffed as another tear streamed down her face, "sister, please! We can fix this still, I promise! Please, please, come back to me!"

Luna closed her eyes and shook her head.

"No sister, there is no turning back. Come with me; let me free you from your fears so that you may find peace at last."

Luna descended from the throne, and walked the long length of the hall. The eerie silence of Everfree was broken only by the sound of Luna's hooves upon the cobblestone floor.

Celestia was not following.

Nearing the stairs, Luna heard a loud, solemn voice echoing across the empty room.

"Don't you dare turn your back on me, Luna."

Looking back to the throne, Luna saw Celestia stand to her hooves, her head lowered in contemplative thought.

"I can't permit you to leave Everfree."

"You can do nothing to stop me, Celestia."Luna shot back in defiance, "No prison can contain me!"

Celestia rose her head, a cold resolve evident in her expression.

"Again, Luna, you're hopelessly mistaken."

With her horn brightly glowing, Celestia stomped the floor beneath her, lowered her head, and prepared to charge. Luna could hardly believe that her sister was challenging her to a joust. Though conflicted, Luna decided she had to answer in turn; she herself had told Celestia there was no turning back. Assuming her grandiose form, she mimicked her sister's movements and charged. As they ran, the sisters cast the tables aside with little effort or care. Clashing in the center of the hall, a massive burst of white hot energy radiated from the point of impact, sending a destructive wave to shatter every window and ignite every overturned table. As it subsided, the two sisters could be seen locked in struggle, their horns crossed and their bleeding heads pressed together.

"_Give up little sister_!" Celestia shouted, pushing Luna back.

"I…will…_not_!" Luna grunted in response, managing to throw Celestia off balance.

Not wasting a second, Celestia took to the sky before Luna could strike. The moon goddess was quick to join her sister midair, just narrowly avoiding Celestia's horn. Like sparring raptors the two exchanged blows upon succession, colliding repeatedly in the air and grappling before retreating to renew their assault. With each contact, a burst of fiery sparks illuminated the castle. Below, the hall was filled with the cackle of flames and a plume of black smoke.

As the battle wore on, Luna finally saw her chance to gain the upperhoof. When the sun goddess dove to strike her from above, Luna veered to the side and gave Celestia another sharp kick to her side, felling her from the air.

Grounding herself, Luna saw Celestia shed her empowered appearance. No longer did her mane channel the mighty solar wind, it was but a simple pink. Luna stopped, a single tear escaping her eye as she beheld her beloved Celly in her natural state. It had been centuries since Luna had seen her like this. The flood of memories of the two frolicking in the young, open fields of Equestria tempered her anger.

"Celly…it's over. You've exhausted your strength and magic. You can't defeat me."

Panting, Celestia once again arose to her hooves. Despite being dwarfed by her younger sister, the sun goddess' voice lost none of its authority.

"No, sister. As usual, you have failed to see the greater picture. I'm two steps ahead of you."

With a glow of her horn, Celestia vanished with a bang. Baffled, Luna was at loss what to think. She had Celestia at her mercy, yet her older sister expected the moon goddess to lose? That was improbable, the two were equals and Luna had bested her in a fair fight.

Could it be Celestia wanted to use the Elements of Harmony? No, no one being could use its power alone, not even a goddess. But what else could Celestia be plotting?

In haste, Luna teleported to the foyer to be met with a frightening sight. Before her, Celestia was wrapped in a purple light. Levitating, five of the elements swirled about her while the last, manifesting itself as a bejeweled tiara, rested upon her head.

"No, no, no!" Luna shouted, "That's-but how-?!"

"Little sister, we have been bonded to the Elements since Discord's defeat. Only together could we use this power. But I found a way, Luna, a way to use it myself! All I had to do was offer my body, devoid of divinity, as a sacrifice! As I'm sure you can see now, I let you win. Now behold, the power of the Elements is _mine_."

Luna was dumbstruck. Even when cornered, her body spent of energy and bleeding, Celestia had been in control the entire time. Luna never had a hope to win.

"Luna, repent." Celestia said, her love showing through her hardened tone, "Dear sister it's not too late. I will always forgive you, no matter what!"

"No!" Luna shouted with righteous anger "I did nothing wrong, I only wanted to escape this infernal cage you put me in! I don't want to play castle with you for all eternity, Celly! I will not have it, I refuse it! It was never my purpose; you thrust this life on me!"

Celestia sighed, and looked at Luna with a pained regret.

"…I'm sorry Luna, but you leave me with no choice. This is the best I can do for you…and Equestria."

A magnificent rainbow blast emanated from the Elements, engulfing Luna in a brilliant flash. She was dazed by the vast range of colors before everything suddenly faded to black.

/

"Umm, Princess Luna, are you all right? Here, I'll go fetch some tissues."

Luna opened her eyes, a single soft tear streaming from each one.

"No, Fluttershy," Luna sniffed, "I'll be quite fine. Thank you."

Sighing, her thoughts turned back to her memory. It was so vivid; she could hear every word, feel every pain and emotion, and see Celestia's every expression. Yet, it was incomplete. The nobles were but phantoms, their words and deeds that night she had largely forgotten. Even Morning Star, her advisor, was but a faint blur…

Luna snapped back from deep thought as a seismic turbulence shook the house, throwing the goddess to the ground. Fluttershy quickly dashed to the window to see the trouble.

"…Oh my…"

The pegasus darted out the door into the cold night. Curious to find the source of the shockwave, Luna followed Fluttershy, hoping dearly that it was Celestia's doing.

/

Twilight froze not from the sight of the red plumage of the guard's helm, but from the soft words muffled by the loud winds. More than anything she desired it to be anypony but the soldier approaching her.

"Get back!" the unicorn shouted, shaking with weariness, "Don't take another step closer!"

The figure ignored Twilight's warning and advanced until his physical features became more visible and the truth undeniable.

It was her former guard and friend, Lightning Strike.

"Sparks…"

"Don't call me that, don't ever call me that! You have no right!" Twilight threatened, but her intent was offset by her emotional fatigue, making her appear only more vulnerable and pitiful. Twilight wanted to cry, but the harsh wind had dried her eyes. She felt so alone and exposed, she just wanted to disappear. Curling up and closing her eyes, Twilight wished the guard would just be swept up by the wind and blown back to Canterlot.

"Twilight Sparkle, please listen to me. I never wanted to hurt you, I care for you too much…"

"How can you expect me to love you, as if you didn't break my heart when you tore my books and terrorized my friends? When you beat me? You're dead to me, you hear [i]Lieutenant[/i]? Dead. Now just go away and leave me alone! You're nothing but a soldier; a heartless, mindless brute and…and…I hate you!"

"Sparks, you don't really think that." Lightning Strike replied calmly, though audibly, "I can prove it."

"You could never be more—"

Twilight abruptly stopped as she heard the rattle of armor. Opening her eyes, she saw the yellow pegasus remove the golden suit and casting off his helm, revealing his long, purple mane. Blazed across his flank was the image of two lightning bolts crossing over a long sword, the mark of a respected military pony. Twilight was at loss what to think, she had rarely ever seen the pegasus without his armor (a trip to the beach immediately came to mind). Though the warm memory was pleasant, it only distressed Twilight more. If the Royal Guard was composed of good pegasi like Lightning Strike, how could they be capable of trampling civil liberties and subduing the population within hours of Celestia's departure? How could they abandon their virtue and dignity for one second and reassume them the next? Again, Twilight withdrew, turning away from Lightning Strike.

"Sparks, don't be like that. I'll explain myself, I promise. Just give me a chance?"

As he spoke, he approached Twilight and moved to brush her mane. At his touch, the unicorn recoiled and shook her head.

"Don't touch me!" she cried, her breath becoming ragged, "I don't want your love, I want to be alone, I want Celestia back, I, I, I…"

Lightning Strike gently hugged her by the neck and ran his hoof through her mane.

"Shhh…It'll be all right Sparks." Lightning Strike said sympathetically. As he held the unicorn in his hooves, he continued to whisper tender words of comfort against the raging howl of the north wind, but they were not lost. Every one of his simple words resonated in Twilight's heart; all the confusion and angst impelled by the hopeless complexity of the brave new world before her dissipated as her adamant resistance melted in the warm embrace.

"…Fate is a funny thing," whispered Lightning Strike, "We all have talents, something that makes us useful and helpful to one another. Sometimes it takes us awhile to figure out just what that means though, you know? When I was a kid I had the luck of being really blessed, I could have done a lot of things. But once my mark appeared, my life sort of got set in stone."

The lieutenant sighed and looked at the starry sky above as if trying to peer into the past.

"My parents sent me to the military academy to help form what my destiny had already decreed. It was fine at the start. I was placed top of my class, making me fit for the highest of honors, becoming a Royal Guardian, but that meant I had to go through Tartarus first. The training for it was harsh and merciless, both physically and mentally. Punishment for disobedience was swift, and I was always afraid of stepping out of line. At the same time, I, still a small colt, saw my civilian peers play, study, and laugh as they explored and developed their talents…and…"

Lightning Strike paused and tried to maintain his professional disposition, but it cracked under his words.

"…I resented them.

Again, he paused.

"No, that's not quite true. I hated them. It wasn't fair, everypony demanded me to be an obedient lamb, a sacrifice for the good of Equestria's peace and Celestia's glory, while they basked in the freedom I was denied. As I grew up at the academy, I outwardly mouthed oaths and obeyed orders, but my heart was bent on escaping my prison. I had just the plan too."

Lightning Strike gave a soft chuckle at the memory.

"The day Celestia arrived to inspect the new line of recruits, I was determined to be discharged, honorably or not. Lined up with my comrades, I waited nervously for her to reach me. I had never had the honor to meet the princess before, and when she stood before me, I was awestruck. She was fairer than any dragon treasure, her grace and power more radiant than the sun itself. My amazement, however, didn't exactly go unnoticed. Celestia saw my composure break down into the wonderment of a foal, and laughed."

Twilight smiled, the memory of Celestia's sweet laughter did wonders by warming her cold body.

"But I kept my ground and asked to leave her service. At this point, I was pretty sure I was an inch away from being banished or imprisoned. Ha! But did she turn it around on me. No, instead of that she simply smiled and looked at me intently. You know what I'm talking about Sparks, the way she stares at you with an ancient wisdom gleaming in her eyes. Anyways, it was later in the day when my superior notified me that I had been assigned to serve as the personal guard to the princesses' new pupil."

A gust of wind blew, silencing the guard briefly.

"That's when I met you, Twilight Sparkle. You were such a strange little filly; a curious little rascal, and yet so shy. You were brave but timid, constantly finding yourself in frighteningly awkward situations or being barraged by the media and politics of Canterlot, a world totally alien to you. It was a full time job protecting you, but you were brilliant, Sparks."

Twilight felt the light thud of a tear hit her mane. She looked up to see the starlit tears in Lightning Strike's eyes scatter not by will, but by the fierce winds.

"You were my beacon, Sparks; through you Celestia's wisdom became clear to me. Seeing you grow up under the protection I provided showed me that my purpose was not a sacrifice, it was vital to the well-being of all, it was the greatest honor!"

Lightning Strike's pride then drained from both his expression and tone as he continued.

"After I realized this, I never questioned an order given by Princess Celestia or my superiors…I'm not at liberty to tell you the things I've seen or done in their name, but every tooth, claw, and bolt that pierced me and every enemy I struck down was in defense of our land, our princess, and you, Twilight Sparkle!"

The guard's voice shook as he made his case; Twilight knew he was not as absolute in his conviction as he wished to convey.

"…But fate seems to present us so many dilemmas that it's impossible to make a single easy decision. When I was ordered to search your library Sparks, it required every bit of discipline I had to carry out my duties. It was my most difficult assignment…until our meeting at the farm."

Twilight looked up at the guard, a pained expression painted both faces.

"Sparks…I don't know why you're protecting Princess Luna, but I saw in your eyes an indomitable spirit who would never listen to my demands. The swift nature of the extraction mission didn't give me much a chance to reason with you, so my only hope was to subdue you…by force."

Lightning Strike sighed heavily and muttered.

"Fate is funny to the point of cruelty…to protect you I had to hurt you. When you were young I had to discipline you for misbehaving at court…but such an analogy is unfitting for adults and the tragedies that afflict us. Who was right, I do not know. I can only say that I'm sorry this had to happen the way it did, if I could change it I would. But I cannot apologize for what occurred; I had to do my duty."

Stunned by his words, Twilight freed herself from Lightning Strike's grasp and shook her head in disgust and confusion.

"No, no, no! Don't you think for a second you were right! Your fellow pegasi invaded the home of a free citizen without a permit, destroyed his property, and nearly beat him to death! Not only that, your brutish, despicable, manticore of a captain shot him with a crossbow!"

"Don't speak of what you don't understand." Lightning Strike rebuked with a fierce loyalty, "Captain Braveheart is an old blowhard; but he is a good pegasus with a strong heart. When we were being briefed that our mission was to somehow detain a living goddess, the entire guard was filled with dread until the captain spoke up. His confidence inspired us to complete our objectives and dare to hope. How can you blame us for following him? Under his leadership, we nearly succeeded twice in what everypony thought to be a suicide mission."

"I don't care if you were arresting Princess Celestia herself," Twilight countered "Your captain used excessive force! Did he at anytime not resort to violence and intimidation to accomplish his goals? Not once did he try to parley with Princess Luna!"

Lightning Strike stepped back and looked to the sky, his mane blowing wildly.

"…I find it amazing you can trust her after what she did last year. I'm aware you defeated her, yet you place the same faith in her as you have in Princess Celestia…"

Twilight was about to respond indignantly, but the guard cut her off.

"I don't think you realize how terrible that night last year was for us. Princess Celestia had taken only a small contingent of the guard with her to Ponyville, the very worst of us, might I add. The rest of the Royal Guard had been tasked with keeping a high alert; for what only the general knew. When the sun didn't rise, panic broke out in the streets of Canterlot and much of the country. Unlike for those in Ponyville, most of the world did not have the comfort of knowing that Nightmare Moon's return was being dealt with. Captain Braveheart did his best to pacify the riots that broke out, but he was powerless to stop them all. I was with him when our battalion managed to disperse a nasty one off of Gallopfrey Street where several foals had their lives trampled out of them. We were all sad to see it, but the captain was furious. He did all he could to revive the fallen young, but when he failed, he cursed the moon. He swore and shouted, stomped and fumed, but in the end he could do little for anypony but carry on with his duties…but he didn't forget, and neither did I. Over the past year, Princess Luna has not once apologized publically for her crimes, she has only been a shadow in the corner of Celestia's court. For what reason should we trust her?"

"Because Princess Celestia did." Twilight replied sternly.

The guard winced, he had not expected such a quick, simple yet potent reply.

"Lightning Strike, Celestia's disappearance is not Luna's fault. You have condemned her from a place of ignorance, your argument is based on just a couple of coincidental conjectures. You don't have a single trace of physical evidence, any eye witness reports, or a solid lead. You're going on a myth."

"…and what would you have us do, Sparks? Sit by as the world dies?"

"I know how you feel, but if you cannot trust Princess Luna, I'd ask you to trust me."

Lightning Strike's brow furrowed, his frustration and doubt cracking through his stern discipline.

"Sparks, I'm aware of your capability and knowledge, but you're still so naïve."

Twilight was hurt by the guard's words, but not surprised. He was a military pony after all, his loyalty resided primarily in Celestia and her institutions, not the unicorn he once babysat. Still, she had hoped beyond reason that he would abandon his post and aid her. Turning away from Lightning Strike, Twilight spoke with cold words.

"Fine then. I see we have nothing else left to say. You can arrest me now, take me to your captain."

The two ponies were buffeted by a cold wind as the pegasus pulled a report from his rumpled armor.

"…at 0900 hours, the garrison at Canterlot was notified of a disturbance at an exotic dance club off Hayseed Lane. The establishment was closed for business. Upon arrival, Captain Braveheart was found destroying property. General Hawkeyes promptly suspended the Captain for abandoning his post and inappropriate behavior in a public place. In his stead, the supreme commander has appointed Lt. Lightning Strike to serve as temporary Captain of the Royal Guard…"

Twilight looked at the new captain in astonishment. He was the field commander, he wasn't disobeying any order in meeting with her. This whole discussion could have been a mere trap, a distraction to his grander scheme. Twilight stood and looked nervously around her to see if she had been surrounded. Captain Lightning Strike placed the scroll down and noticed the unicorn's discomfort.

"Don't worry Sparks, this was an exploratory mission. My pegasi are busy enforcing curfew in Ponyville, per my orders. To carry out an arrest would require substantial back-up, if our last clash taught me anything."

The pegasus turned his back to Twilight and began putting on his armor.

"It will take me awhile to assemble the guard, many are flying reconnaissance now. If you truly know the whereabouts of Princess Celestia, I hope that you find her, and quickly."

He looked back at her with a weak smile as he crowned himself with his golden, red plumed helm.

"My little Sparks, it wasn't hard to track you. I wasted no time searching the town, I knew you would run off to some secluded spot. Unfortunately for your efforts, you chose the residence of a high profile fashion model. Not the smartest move there."

The teasing remark fell flat as he stared into her eyes affectionately. At length, Lightning Strike unfolded his wings and rose into the air.

"I will not shirk from my duties to Celestia and the state, Twilight Sparkle. Be assured, I will continue to pursue you and your friends." the captain spoke with a new flare of authority and strength, " But don't waste this time I'm giving you. Find Princess Celestia, prove me and the Royal Guard wrong. I have no greater wish…"

With that being said, Captain Lightning Strike flew off towards Ponyville.

Twilight was conflicted. Neither did they reconcile, nor depart in hate. Very little had been resolved, both would continue on their respective, opposing paths. Yet, the captain affirmed his love for her when everything in the world came into question, not only through his words but through his gift of that most precious necessity: time.

Despite his words, she knew he had faith in her.

Now was not a time for contemplation, action was of the utmost essence. It seemed unlikely that Applejack had managed to round up Rarity and Pinkie Pie, and Rainbow Dash was running late, so Luna's immortality would have to take a back seat to finding Celestia. It would be far more expedient…

A thunderous boom shook the earth, shocking Twilight. She looked up to the sky to find an explosion of colors burst forth across the dark night canopy. A look of terror on her face, Twilight was paralyzed with a mixture of anger, fear and concern. The Sonic Rainboom was unmistakable, it was obviously Rainbow Dash's work, but what danger drove her to pull out her best move?

"Oh no!" Twilight thought, "Even if she's all right, she's given away our position to every pony in Equestria! Even under Lightning Strike's leadership, the Royal Guard will descend on this spot in minutes! We've got to move, and quick! Even the Everfree Forest looks inviting now…"

Her concentration broke as she saw the rainbow end a few hundred meters before her. Running with all haste, she suddenly froze when she saw Rainbow Dash doing what appeared to be a victory dance.

"Rainbow, what have you done!"

Turning to face the unicorn, the cyan pegasus gave a sheepish smile and an awkward chuckle.

"Uh, well…Ooops?"

/


	6. Chapter 6

Frigid Winds and Burning Hearts

Part 6

A change from the typically hay-thatched buildings dotting the layout of Ponyville, the ornately decorated Carousel Boutique drew the attention and admiration of many visitors to the village. Its superb architecture and beautiful purple marble left the impression that the structure was a royal retreat rather than the home of a tailor. Even in the dark of night, its magnificence could not be hidden; the smooth marble reflected the soft moonlight while the stars illuminated the dazzling array of jewels lining the windows of the second floor, behind which peacefully slept the famed fashionista herself, Lady Rarity.

Well, in truth, she lacked the aristocratic title "Lady" and her last name revealed her more humble origins, a past she had worked diligently to suppress, opting to be referred to as simply Rarity in all matters from business deals to her most intimate of relationships. Nonetheless, there was perhaps nopony dedicated to high society and culture as her; though an artistic visionary she was extremely disciplined in all things regarding etiquette, fashion, and class. Tonight, however, Rarity allowed herself to relax, for even the most rigidly regimented of ponies required a reprieve from the extremes of their own personality. It had been a tough few weeks for Rarity; she had received a slew of commissions for suits and gowns for the occasion of a royal banquet. Though envious and a tad hurt for not receiving an invitation from Celestia, the pressing demands of her trade and bitter memories of Prince Blueblood quickly chased such sentiments away. Toiling all week with little time for friends, family, and, most importantly, herself, Rarity was relieved beyond words to see her last (extremely satisfied) customer exit her boutique. Immediately afterwards, she promised to close shop for the weekend and pamper herself.

Such was her exhaustion that she went to bed without her usual curlers and face mask, justifying the choice by "letting Aloe and Lotus do their job" at the spa. As sleep took her, thoughts of a tranquil morning brought a faint smile to her face. The gentle touch of the dawn's first rays would awake her and welcome her to a new day. She would then fix herself a cup of tea and read her book, a rare collection of medieval romances Twilight had translated for her. Though not of royal cloth, Rarity yearned to be part of those tales, to be the fair princess in the tower. Her dreams did not deny her this pleasure tonight, and Rarity was swept away to a land rife with greedy dragons and maidens, noble stallions and valorous deeds…

"THAT FUCKING WITCH! YOU FUCKING BACK-STABBING TRAITOR, TWILIGHT SPARKLE! I'LL SEE BOTH YOU WICKED WHORES BURN AT THE STAKE! CELESTIA DAMN YOU!"

Rudely torn from her slumber, Rarity's eyes bugged at the sound of the coarse words penetrating her home. Her shock, however, quickly faded and was replaced instead with an unbridled rage. If it was one thing Rarity held more sacred than fashion and art, it was the sanctity of the Equestrian language and its proper use. Not only were this scoundrel's words an utterly feeble attempt for a lazy mind to express itself effectively, they were beyond crude and wholly indecent to the ears of true ladies and young children. This injustice to the Ponyville community could not go unpunished; hell hath no fury like Lady Rarity.

Shooting out of her bed, she quickly left her house to find the source of the string of obscenities. She did not need to travel far, as she soon came upon the host of the Royal Guard awaiting orders from their frustrated captain who continued to swear sporadically and loudly. Rarity paused for but a moment, she knew she was dealing with Celestia's elite soldier but that was ever more the reason to chastise their commanding officer from departing so clearly from chivalry. This is not to say his high status did not have an impact, for it reminded Rarity to regain her composure and keep a level head. Like a proper lady should. Calming herself, she boldly approached the captain as he had his back turned to her.

"Excuse me, good sir." She tried at gaining his attention, but the brown pegasus ignored her.

"Ergh," he growled, "Nightshade!"

"Yes sir, Captain Braveheart!"

"I want you to lead a small reconnaissance around the perimeter or Ponyville! I doubt they got very far, so I want a report in 15 minutes! Put those lazy wings to use and get going!"

"Yes sir!"

"Good pegasus, I can always count on you to get shit around here done, now do me proud!"

"Uh-hem!" Rarity cleared her throat, "Captain!"

Responding to his rank, Braveheart turned his head to his side, saw Rarity, snorted in contempt, and brought his attention back to his troops. So appalled by the captain's behavior, Rarity was at loss of words. This was Celestia's best knight? It had to be an imposter; there was no way under Celestia's good heavens that this brute could possibly be heroic or honorable, and certainly not chivalrous! However, at that thought Rarity was instantly reminded of Prince Blueblood, and suddenly it seemed pretty plausible that this ruffian "knight" was in fact of Celestia's court.

As she stood in silence, Captain Braveheart continued to address his pegasi in an agitated voice.

"All right, we failed in our objective to apprehend the renegade Princess Luna, or more accurately Nightmare Moon, within the desired time allotted to us by the general. It's just about 0700 hours meanin' ponies will be wakin' up pretty soon."

Sighing heavily and removing his helmet, the captain's face turned solemn. Eyes cast downwards, he continued.

"Pegasi, I don't need to tell you this, but we're dealin' with a national crisis the likes we've never seen before. This will make last year look like we were babysitting a bunch of foals; at least last year, in her wisdom, Celestia had set in motion a plan to stop her demon of a sister. But even under her guidance, we know how many died in Canterlot that day, how many died because of that [i]witch[/i]."

Braveheart's demeanor now reverted back to his usual fiery tone, his voice once again that of a barking officer.

"Now, we have only our courage, wit, and determination. Not only must we capture Nightmare Moon, we must do our best to preserve order here. I've sent Private Gust to call on the district barracks to send reinforcements here. They may not be elite, but we'll need every disciplined soldier to turn back this tide. I mean, I've had reports come across me that say this village teetered on the brink of hysteria over a bunch of rabbits running through the town square! This is more than just a skittery bunch, they're damn near crazy, so I want their little panic attack contained and defused! If there was any good to come from the last Summer Sun Festival, it at the very least prepared us for a day like this, so no excuses! We've trained damn hard for this, so I don't want any screw-ups. I expect only to see the best from my pegasi!"

Rarity could respect Braveheart's tense situation, even if she didn't quite understand it fully, but it was still unforgiveable to so rudely write her off and repeatedly use such vulgar words.

"Captain Braveheart, I would gladly appreciate it if I could have an audience with you!" Rarity politely requested against the wind, which at this point had begun to weaken.

With another growl, Braveheart turned and gave Rarity an ugly look. He continued to glare at her as he began to speak, but his words were for his pegasi, not the fair unicorn.

"And here I thought the wind was just becoming more obnoxious, turns out it's another nosey bitch here to add shit to my plate."

The captain let out a gruff cackle, as if his insult was actually original. The thing is with insults, however, is that it matters not how creative they are but how potent their impact is, and a stunned Rarity definitely felt it.

_Bitch_.

The fair unicorn detested the word above all others. Unlike its fellow curses, "bitch" carried the weight of a dismissive, sexist chauvinism that impressed upon its victim a sense of inferiority and servitude. It also reduced her to the level of a faceless, run-of-the-mill commoner worthy of being only a lust object for the depraved.

Her face hardened, her eyebrows furrowed with anger. No lady should ever suffer such gross offense!

Rarity could no longer contain herself. This soldier, no matter how impressive his rank or medals were, had not a shred of class; if he was going to so crudely disrespect her, she was going to treat him like the slime of the earth he was!

Finished with his little chuckle, Braveheart finally addressed Rarity in an authoritative tone.

"Look honey, the best thing you can do for me and my company is to turn your hide around and head straight back to your home and stay there. Got it?"

Rarity leered at the captain with a burning hate.

"No captain, I will not." she said through gritted teeth.

"Oh, a fighter huh? Now go-"

Braveheart was interrupted by getting a full face of the unicorn as she butt heads with him, her disdainful stare squaring him straight in the eye.

"To imagine Princess Celestia's elite knights to be no more than a degenerate rabble of ruffians! By Celestia's good heavens, the way you carry on, captain! What example of discipline or honor are you demonstrating to your pegasi when you can't even hold your vulgar, maggot ridden tongue in the presence of a lady for but a second! And then to call her a "bitch"! Well, Captain Braveheart, if that is what you think of me, I'll be happy to indulge you in your crude stupidity!"

With a swift swipe of her hoof, Rarity gave the captain a stinging slap to the face.

"Hmph! If there is to be a civil disturbance this morning, you have no pony to blame but yourself, captain. Your rambunctious cursing most likely woke up half the town and did nothing to calm anypony down Burn Twilight Sparkle, the nerve! Such barbarisms Celestia will never tolerate, I have a mind to tell the princess myself of her captain's depraved ruthlessness and astonishing disrespect for the fairer sex!"

Captain Braveheart stood silent, his face burning with a curious mixture of rage and shame. This unicorn had the nerve to disregard his authority and humiliate him in front of his pegasi, yet at the same time she was in the right to do so. His hot temper and coarse language had gotten him into trouble in the past, the only reason he managed his rank was through an impressive track record in the field. Still, he did his best to make sure it never interfered in a mission, but today was beyond stressful. With Celestia gone, everything seemed to be falling apart, even his own discipline. He needed her, just as the day needs the sun. Nonetheless, Braveheart was proud, and he'd be damned to just let this townie from the boonies tell him how uncivilized he was.

As Rarity finished her tirade, Braveheart spoke through clenched teeth.

"And what makes you think Celestia would care to hear what you have to say?"

Rarity grinned, in this question she was happy to oblige in a response.

"Why, don't you know? I'm Rarity, fashionista extraordinaire. Celestia personally commissions me for the royal décor of Canterlot Castle. It helps to have good friends, dear; I'm a master at networking."

The captain's face suddenly lit up in surprise, growing a grin of his own.

"You're Rarity, the famed fashion designer? Twilight Sparkle's friend?"

Rarity's smirk faded, confused a bit by the captain's question.

"Why, yes, I mean …"

"Well then, , you are under arrest for conspiring against the throne."

"—wait what, what?" Rarity stood dumbstruck.

"Don't worry; perhaps you'll see some of your work at Canterlot, though last I recall the dungeons are pretty damn bare. Maybe you can knit somethin' for the dank walls, somethin' bright. It gets so bloody dreary down there; I'm sure Princess Luna will love it! Ha! Storm Cloud, front and center!"

"Yes sir!" replied a grey mare with bright blue eyes.

"Put Miss Rarity here under house arrest for now. I expect you can handle an interrogation on your own."

"Of course."

"Oh, and sergeant."

"Yes?"

"Do you think I've acted out of line? Speak candidly."

"Captain, to be honest, you've been more of an ass today than usual. It doesn't take a therapist to see why, but you might want to watch what you say to civilians. The kid here is right, you could start a panic."

"Hmm…fine, duly noted. Take her away."

Before Storm Cloud could lead Rarity away, a shrill scream was heard emitting from some corner of the small village soon followed by the unmistakable words of Lilly, a mare with a penchant for alarmist drama.

"The horror, the horror!"

If the captain's curses succeeded in waking up a few ponies around the town square, Lilly's cry awoke the rest of the village. One by one, the ponies peered from their windows and doorways only to find what they thought they left behind when sweet sleep took them: a chilling north wind and a beautiful night sky. As they gazed up at the eerie darkness, a cold terror swept through them; there was no sign of their beloved goddess to be found. All that seemed to change was the moon which remained just upon the horizon, making it seem larger, almost as if it were falling towards the earth.

"Shit, make that quick sergeant, I need you back here." Braveheart growled, "It's starting."

"Yes sir!"

Rarity found herself lifted off her hooves, the female soldier effortlessly carrying her as she glided towards the boutique. Dropping her off, the sergeant gave Rarity a stern warning.

"Get inside; it might get ugly out here. Don't even think about leaving, princess. You're just a suspect now but if you escape you'll be a felon. Trust me, it's best if you just stay here and work on your dresses."

Without waiting for a response, Storm Cloud bolted back to her company. Rarity complied with her orders; she didn't want to get mixed in with a dirty bunch of rioters after all. However, the whole situation was, well, so thrilling, like one of her romances! Though Braveheart was far from charming, it did not mean him or the other guards incapable of exciting deeds. Rarity quickly ran up the stairs to the highest level of the boutique so she could get a decent look of the town square. And then she heard it, faint though it may be against the wind.

Murmurs.

"The sky…it…"

"Can it be…?"

"I knew it; I knew she shouldn't have been trusted…"

And then the prophets emerged.

"Nightmare Moon has returned to cast her vengeance upon us! Pray that Celestia may deliver us from her wicked onslaught! Repent, we must all repent!"

And the spark that ignites a firestorm.

"Doom, doom! What hope do we have! Everypony for themselves!"

For Ponyville, it took only three minutes to escalate to this point, much to Captain Braveheart's chagrin.

"Return to your homes!" the captain shouted, his helmet fixed firmly back on his head, "By order of Celestia's Royal Guard, return to your homes or we will not hesitate to use force!"

Not surprisingly, his warnings fell on a crowd deafened by both the wind and their own hysterics. All ready the mob began to scurry aimlessly about the square, screaming and damaging property along the way.

"I knew that wasn't going to cut it, words can only do so much in the end." The disgruntled captain said to himself before turning to his pegasi, "Form up! Form up! I want shields and nightsticks ready! Now fall in and follow my lead!"

With that, Braveheart took to the sky, leading his pegasi to encircle the panicking villagers in the town square and swiftly land.

"Shields!" Braveheart ordered, "Shields!"

The guards raised their golden shields in concert, the sound of clattering metal sounding like a symphony to Braveheart's ears.

"Company advance!"

As the guard began to box in the rioters, a few dozen Earth ponies crashed against the lines trying to break through.

"Stand your ground, hold them!" Braveheart barked, planting his hooves firmly to the ground. It was a grueling test of physical strength; an average lot of pegasi would have easily been trampled down by the much stronger and sturdier Earth ponies. But the elite earned their keep; they managed to rebuff the charge and continue to press inwards. After fifteen minutes of steadily gaining ground, the frightened villagers had been rounded up, their reckless stampeding put to an end.

"Lightning!"

"Yes sir!"

"You're good with words, calm these hicks down and send them on their way home!"

"I'll do what I can, sir."

Lightning Strike broke rank and file to speak with the scared residents of Ponyville. Removing his helmet in an attempt to look less intimidating, the lieutenant calmly addressed the crowd.

"Citizens of Ponyville, her highness Celestia's Royal Guard…"

"Where the hay is Princess Celestia!" a voice interrupted.

"…in conjunction with the Equestrian Armed Forces have declared a state of emergency…"

"Who gave you thugs the right to tell us what to do?"

"Yeah! We want to see authorizations from parliament!"

"…curfew will be in effect until the crisis is managed. We remind you to keep calm and keep heart, the situation is under control."

"Lying pig! Control this!"

Flying from the crowd, several rocks soared through the air. Most clattered harmlessly against Lightning Strike's armor, but one managed to smack the side of his exposed head. Dazed, the lieutenant's vision blurred and his knees grew weak. Suddenly, he felt a push and fell to the ground. Reorienting himself, he saw Braveheart standing defensively before him with outstretched wings. Several more enchanted rocks were hurled, the captain enduring each blow without so much as single flinch. Turning back to the crowd, Braveheart snarled with disgust.

"Get the fuck off the streets! I don't have the time to protect you foals all day, so get movin'!"

"Protect us from what?

"Yeah, let us go!"

"From yourselves, ya bloody stinkin' idiots! Where in Celestia's name do you think you dumb foals can escape to, huh? If you haven't noticed, that won't do anything but make ya end up hurtin' yourselves and give me a splittin' headache! Now go home!"

Another rock flew through the air, but the captain's keen eye caught sight of it and dodged the projectile.

"Fine!" Braveheart growled, "We'll have it your way then. Pegasi, nightsticks drawn!"

"He's bluffing," a gutsy young stallion shouted, "He'd never get away with hurting any of us."

"You have the nerve to attack my soldiers and then tell me what I can't do? Big mistake, you son-of-a-bitch! I'll make an example of you!"

As he raised his nightstick to strike, something quite unexpected caught the elite veteran completely off guard.

"Hiya captain!" shouted a cheery voice from behind.

Braveheart froze comically in place, a wave of confusion evident in his blank expression. Slowly he turned his head to behold a familiar pink pony.

"Captain, Captain!" She chirped happily, "Remember me, Pinkie Pie? It was, like, all dark and cold and stuff outside, and I saw you fly into town and I had never seen you before! Well maybe at the Grand Galloping Gala, but never in Ponyville, so I thought, 'Hey, what's really good on a cold night? Duh, silly, hot chocolate with marshmallows of course!' So then I made some and when I came outside there were, like, thirty of you and I was all sad because I only had one cup of cocoa to share but then I realized 'Hey, know what else warms you up? A party!' And then you were all 'Please ma'am we have important royal stuff to do blah blah. ' And then we all danced! Well, kind of, I mean, I totally was but you guys were just shuffling around all nervous! What's up with that? You should really get them on some dance lessons, or something. Then again it must be really, really hard to dance with all that clunky armor. Oh wait a second captain, what d'ya got there? A baton? Were you doing tricks and stuff for everypony? That is so cool! Let me try!"

Yanking the nightstick from Braveheart's grasp, the pink pony proceeded to twirl it and toss it up into the air, following up with several summersaults before catching it. The nightstick didn't stop twirling as the acrobat spun it around her body, neck, and legs, until she once again released it into the air, this time doing three back flips before it came back down. Faster and faster she spun it about, biting her tongue in stern concentration. Guard and town pony alike stood in amazement, both forgetting their fears and anxieties as they watched the pink pony's movements flow like quicksilver.

Then she tripped on a rock.

Falling on her back, the enthusiastic ball of energy let out a merry giggle. The crowd of ponies (and some of the guards) cheered and stamped to show their approval.

"Oh wow! That was really fun! But I guess I'll have to practice a whole lot more to get as good as you are, huh captain?"

Braveheart was almost at loss as to what to say.

"…err…sure kid. But if you don't mind, I got to get these folks off the streets. It's too dangerous for all you to be wandering about town, and I have more pressing matters to tend to."

"Oh I can help with that, no problem!" Pinkie Pie replied. Giving a shrill whistle, she gained the attention of the crowd of ponies. "Listen up everypony! Captain Braveheart needs us all to get back inside so he can do his job and get things back to normal around here!"

"But Pinkie," a stallion spoke out, "that pegasus is power crazy!"

"Are you kidding me, Caramel? He may be a grumpy pants, but he only wants to see you all safe and sound. Hey! I know, if everypony goes back home, they can expect a free basket of muffins tomorrow morning! My treat!"

There was a brief silence as the crowd thought it over.

"Well, if Pinkie Pie trusts this guy, he can't be all bad."

"Yeah, there's no point in fighting…"

"Muffins!"

To Captain Braveheart's great relief, the crowd dispersed and calmly returned to their residences without there being a single casualty or death. Even damage to property was kept to a minimum. For the first time since Celestia's disappearance, Braveheart smiled and gave a genuine, joyful laugh.

"Now that's the Braveheart everypony should see!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed, giving the rough soldier a big hug. The captain could hardly believe how infectious, nay, intoxicating the bubbly young mare's joy and love was, just being around her made him want to break out the ale and celebrate. However, that had to wait. Only when Celestia sat again upon her golden throne and Luna thrown in the depths of Canterlot's dungeon would he rest and be merry.

"Your assistance, was…appreciated, Pinkamena Pie. A bit unconventional for this old soldier, but I don't complain as long as it works. Good job."

Breaking away from the pink pony, he broke the files of his pegasi and returned to the town hall to await Lt. Nightshade's report. Pinkie Pie turned to Lt. Lightning Strike who was still on the ground rubbing his head.

"Lightning! Ouch! That's a nasty bump you got on your head!"

"Heh, yeah, well, I deserved it." The lieutenant chuckled in reply.

"Baloney! You meant well, but what the hay was with your speech? Borrringgg! It was all like 'Look at me, I sound like I'm reading an instruction manual for mixing paint.' Of course they weren't going to listen to you, silly; they needed to hear something from the heart, but you-soun-ded like-a-ro-bot." Pinkie Pie said, giving her own impression.

"Well that's fitting, because I feel like one." Lightning Strike said getting back on his hooves, "I had to hurt somepony I love tonight…I can't bear to show any emotion right now. Not when our mission is so critical to the well-being of all."

"Don't say that Lightning," Pinkie said with a look of concern, "It's never a good thing to bury your feelings. If you do that, you lose what makes you special! Today, you gotta do what you gotta do, you're totally right. It'll be tough, but don't hide who you are to keep the pain away. Have courage. The pain will always be there, whether you like it or not and it will get in the way of your mission if you don't deal with it. I know what it's like to hurt your friends, everypony does, it's something really cruddy we wish we could laugh away."

Pinkie leaned in close to Lightning Strike and whispered.

"Want to know a secret?"

The lieutenant nodded.

"You don't have to wish, you just can."

Lightning Strike gave her a puzzled look.

"Hmm, well, maybe not exactly, but the point is that you can't let the past get you down when the future is yours for the making! If she truly loves you, she'll forgive you, silly, don't ever forget that! It takes more than a midnight book raid to lose the love of Twilight Sparkle."

Smiling and giving the surprised lieutenant a wink, Pinkie Pie left him with a final word before bouncing off.

"Remember Lightning to speak from the heart…Oh, and wait! Stop by Sugar Cube Corner next Thursday! It's cheesecake day! I mean, yum, am I right?"

Lightning Strike gave a faint smile, but as she trotted away, he lowered his head in despair. The burning question remained, one that even the gods had no answer for.

/

Braveheart looked to the sky, searching for his lieutenant to return. He was running late, and the captain was growing impatient.

"Nightshade, I sent you out a half an hour ago because you're my best flier. Where the—"

"Captain Braveheart, sir!"

Turning away from the skies, Braveheart saw his best soldier entering the square on hoof...with a prisoner in tow.

"And here I was thinking that this old Wonderbolt was just growing rusty around the wings." The captain grinned.

"Far from it, sir, though you're right. It wasn't exactly my best time." The lieutenant replied, saluting his officer. The captive simply left her head hanging low.

"So who's the hick you found rollin' around in the mud, lietenant?"

"Captain," Nightshade beamed with pride, "this is Applejack, known friend of Twilight Sparkle. The report noted her for her honesty, but I didn't expect a simple run-in with her would give us the intelligence we needed."

"So she's been questioned already? Good pegasus!"

"Well, there was a bit of a chase, first. She's fast for an Earth Pony, I'll give her that, but catching her was hardly a problem. When I subdued her and began the interrogation, she wouldn't lie, per say, but she'd do her damn best to beat around the question. But I know how to play that little game. In the end she let it slip that there had been magical activity in her orchard this morning."

The lieutenant paused and smiled.

"Captain, I believe Princess Luna and Twilight Sparkle are hiding at Sweet Apple Acres. I'd recommend we move quickly."

Braveheart grinned.

"Excellent, but the militia hasn't showed up yet. I want a garrison maintained here to enforce curfew, but if we do this right, I shouldn't need more than ten pegasi to arrest Princess Luna. Anymore would just weigh us down. If things look hairy, I'll send for reinforcements, so I want you on standby just in case."

"Uh, sir," Nightshade frowned, "Am I not a part of the extraction force?"

"Lieutenant, I need you here to keep the peace. This is an important task; don't underestimate its worth to Celestia or me, for that matter. Don't worry Nightshade, the princess will know it was you who found her devil of a sister. I'll make sure to tell her myself."

At that moment, Pinkie Pie bounced by. Catching Applejack from the corner of her eye, she stopped mid-air and turned to see her friend tied up and in the custody of the two guards.

"Applejack! Hey, Applejack!" she called out, prompting Applejack to raise her head. Eyes now wide, the farm pony tried mouthing the word "run" in the hopes that the guards wouldn't arrest her too.

"What's that? 'Fun'? Okay!"

As Pinkie Pie approached, Applejack face hoofed at her friend's density.

"Hey Braveheart! Practicing rodeo with Applejack now? Silly I thought you had a job to do! I have to admit though, if you want to learn, you learn from the best, and Applejack is the greatest most best rodeo cowgirl in all of Equestria!"

Braveheart and Nightshade ceased their planning and just stared at the eccentric Earth pony. Applejack just sighed in exasperation.

"Captain," Nightshade whispered, "Isn't that Pinkamena Pie, Twilight Sparkle's friend who commandeered the music at the Grand Galloping Gala? Why isn't she in custody?"

Braveheart blushed in embarrassment.

"Yes, lieutenant, it is. I'll tell you that she proved key in pacifying the village mob, but keep in mind that I don't need to justify my decisions to you. Remember who you're speaking to, damn it!"

"What'cha talkin' 'bout, Cap'n?" the pink partier inquired.

"Hush, Sugar cube," Applejack whispered, "Ah'm under arrest, get outta here."

"That doesn't sound much fun at all." Pinkie said, her spirit deflating. "Why Captain, why arrest Applejack?"

Braveheart muttered under his breath, refusing to look at the pink pony.

"…You foals don't have the faintest clue how anything works, do you? Celestia spoiled the lot of you and now you can't even respect what we're trying to do."

Turning to Pinkie, he gave a wicked glare and raised his voice.

"You're friend conspired with Princess Luna, a traitor to both her own sister and Equestria. If you want to join in the grand plot, just say the word and I can arrange a nice dank cage for you in Canterlot!"

A bit thrown off by the Captain's harsh words, a look of hurt washed over Pinkie's face.

"F-fine! I'd rather sit in dark, dirty cell with my friends than listen to you being a big meanie to everypony!"

The captain's eye twitched; he would never admit it, but the young mare's words stung a bit. But he quickly shrugged it off; he was used to being hated and feared. His job demanded it at times, and he was really good at his job.

"…So be it. You heard her, Nightshade. Slap some cuffs on her and get her the hell out of my sight! Damn I need a cigar and a stiff drink..."

"Pinkie!" Applejack shouted as the lieutenant restrained the pink pony, "What are you thinkin' girl? Gettin' caged up with me ain't gonna help a darn thing!"

"No way José! It's always better to stay together!"

Nightshade proceeded to lead them to Rarity's home, which, granted its central position in the town, was now serving as a makeshift prison. Upon arrival, the lieutenant was saluted by Storm Cloud.

"More of Twilight Sparkle's friends, lieutenant?"

"Yeah, but make sure to watch these ones carefully. I've got a runner here," he said, pulling the rope on Applejack who gritted her teeth and growled in response, "and I've got a…Pinkie here."

Pinkie smiled and tried to wave with her cuffed hooves.

"Hi Storm Cloud!"

The sergeant chuckled.

"Huh, well that'll be a challenge. We could hardly keep her away from us last night, drove the captain a bit mad at the time, too. You think we can really contain her in here?"

"Are you telling me you're not up to the task sergeant? I can always get Pockets on the job."

"Pardon me, but don't make me laugh. You know we're too spread out as it is, and I'll be Celestia's nephew if you switch me out with Pockets. Can't you get Silver Winds or somepony else to take my place?"

"Watch duty is the only thing that guy knows how to do right, and I don't want him hiding under my wing when I'm coordinating with the district militia. I'm surprised Celestia hasn't kicked him off the guard yet, I think he likes having an idiot around to vent off on."

"You know how it is on the guard, Nightshade. There's the best of the best-us-and those that squeak through because the princess has pity on 'em. They don't usually leave the kitchen though... "

"Well, since you think guarding Twilight's friends will be hard, you can use another soldier. He might be just an apple peeling punching bag, but Pockets still fits the bill."

"Are you kidding me?"

"Look Storm, I need every good pony I can get in the field. So be a good soldier and make sure Pockets doesn't screw up."

"So what am I then?" Storm replied, visibly miffed, "Are you trying to pigeonhole me too?"

Nightshade smirked.

"Don't take it so badly! Like you said, I need at least one competent pony here, and, last I checked, your brain seemed to be in good working order. More or less."

Storm growled and gave her superior a dirty look.

"Again lieutenant? You always want to get rid of me when Braveheart's away so you can take all the credit!"

Other than a slight frown, the lieutenant's disposition changed little in response.

"Braveheart sees something special in you, just what is a mystery to me. All I know is that you slow him down and prevent him from making the right calls at the right time. We can't afford that bullshit tonight, got it?"

"Don't cut me that crap, you're just scared that I'm better than you and the captain knows it."

Nightshade turned around to hide his anger.

"Remember to who you're speaking to! Just do as you're told, _sergeant_, and stay out of my way."

With that Nightshade left his underling and muttered two words under his breath.

"Insubordinate bitch."

The younger officer gave a slight growl before checking herself. She knew that Nightshade was just lashing out because he was jealous. Besides, it would take more than a cowardly insult to ruffle Storm's feathers; after all, she was a pro with a job to do. Petty little dramas like this were for foals, not her. Nonetheless, she still felt pretty steamed.

Sighing, Storm lead the two prisoners inside. At the sound of the door shutting, a happy Rarity dashed down the stairs to greet the Earth ponies with big hugs.

"Oh, girls! I was so worried! I saw everything! Well, the wind was messing up my beautiful mane, so perhaps not everything, but I'm so glad to see that these brutish stallions didn't hurt you!"

"Who are you calling a stallion, princess?" the annoyed officer spoke up, removing her helm to reveal a sweaty, matted silver mane scrunched up in a ponytail. Her face was reddened by the cold wind so much so that the skin began to crack, pushing up a bit of blood to the surface. Rarity couldn't help but show her distaste in her appearance.

"My, I've never seen such a disaster in all my days! Why, you make Applejack look, look, well, look like me! A proper lady!"

"Thanks a lot, Rarity." Applejack sarcastically droned.

"Sorry dear, it was the best I could come up with on the spot." Rarity said, then turning back to the unhappy soldier. "Armor? You poor, deluded mare. Just look at you! You have so much potential for fabulosity, yet you squander it like Applejack…"

"Rarity, stop it, you'll only get us inta more trouble!"

The fashion-inclined unicorn ignored her friend and inspected Storm Cloud thoroughly.

"Look at what you're doing with that magnificent mane! Officer, ponytails should stay on one's rump, don't you think?"

Before Storm could respond, she felt Rarity tug at one of her grey wings, causing her to unfurl them in full display.

"My! I've only seen wings like these in magazines! Such length lends to elegance and grace, no? I must say, even I'm a pinch jealous!"

With a final evaluation, Rarity nodded.

"Oh yes. I can definitely salvage this piece of work. Dear, leave these boys to their filthy dirt play and allow your feminine side some much needed air. It's such a sin to let beauty go to waste…"

"Uh, sergeant…" Applejack tried to cut in before being interrupted herself.

"That's enough!" shouted Storm Cloud, "I don't know whether you think I'm stupid and shallow enough to be won over by a pedicure or you honestly believe what you're saying."

"Umm…"

"Ergh!" the sergeant growled, "Who are you to tell me what is feminine or what it means to be a lady! My Celestia! Our land is ruled by a goddess, yet it's always a big bucking deal if anypony sees a mare in the armed forces. Gah! Yes the army is full of stallions but it's not just a boy's club. Ponies just treat it like one because they have an idea that the Equestrian Armed Forces is a joke, that it's just a bunch of hormonal stallions sitting around the barracks all day telling dirty jokes! But that's untrue, we're deployed all over the world at a moment's notice to fight or keep the peace in the name of her highness, Princess Celestia. There is nothing more honorable, yet my sisters-in-arms are discouraged because ponies like you tell them it's improper. I can tell you that I'm far from being the only mare with a cutie mark like this."

Removing the plate protecting her thigh, Rarity saw the image of a golden sword blazed across the soldier's flank.

"Strength, agility, courage, and quick wit. These talents are common place and needed to help defend our land. What is rare is a pony skilled enough in the arts to reach your professional stature and 'culture', yet you expect them to be like you when it's not even remotely in their personality. Stop putting us in the same box together and don't you dare pretend to understand who I am. "

Though a bit flustered by Storm Cloud's last accusation Rarity, kept her cool.

"Pray tell, sergeant, what do you think my cutie mark means?"

"Three jewels? It doesn't take a professor to tell you that you deal in the arts and high fashion."

"Well, you'd be dead wrong. It's clear you're reading too deeply into it. No, at its base level it means I'm good at finding gems, nothing more. Do you believe that I should've taken up mining, despite my utter distaste for all things…ugh…dirt? That would be the more sensible, direct path to success, but I think it safe to say that I would not be happy. No, not the slightest! Instead, I took my talent and applied it to something I love. And you know what? I became one of the most sought after designers in Equestria. I wasn't born into class or fashion, dear, I dedicated myself to their pursuit!"

Rarity paused, closing her eyes.

"Perhaps it's wrong for me to expect every filly to behave like a lady all the time. But don't you find it a tad hypocritical to tell me that I'm 'putting us in a box' together (as you so quaintly put it) when you base one's entire destiny on a cutie mark? That's rather rigid, don't you think?"

After another brief pause, Rarity opened her eyes.

"Don't pretend to understand me, either, sergeant."

Storm Cloud blushed; she had not expected the tables to turn so quickly. However, she quickly regained her professional composure the best she could.

"I'll be sure to update the report on you…"

"Thank you. Now, if you excuse me, I have some work I must take care of."

Rarity moved over to the other side of the boutique but remained within the eyesight of the three other ponies. Taking some black and blue fabric, she began to stitch with her machine.

"I was gonna let ya know, sergeant," Applejack said, "The way Rarity was sizin' you up? Yeah, that's how she says 'howdy, nice to meet cha'. That's all."

The soldier did not respond, rather she put her helm back on and assumed the famous stoic disposition of the Royal Guard.

"Oooo! We're playing the statue game again!" Pinkie Pie said, looking Storm Cloud over, "Not bad Stormy, but check this one out!"

Sitting herself down, Pinkie arched her back, brought one hoof under her jaw, and narrowed her eyes in serious concentration.

"Applejack." Pinkie said dully and slowly through clenched teeth, accentuating each syllable "what do you think this means when I do this?"

"Pinkie, this ain't the time for foolin'! We need to talk, and talk quick like!"

"This means that I am thinking." Pinkie replied, disregarding Applejack's urgency and slowly pointing her hoof at her, "What am I thinking about?"

Applejack shook her head in slight frustration at her friend's eccentricity.

"I dunno hun, a par—"

"A party!" the pink pony shouted enthusiastically, breaking from her mold and leaping into the air.

"No more talking, get in the corner where I can see you and be quiet!" shouted Storm Cloud, unamused with Pinkie's play.

Applejack shook her head in disappointment and frustration; she had so many important things to tell the others, but through a combination of her friends' quirky behaviors and the Royal Guards' strict orders she wasn't getting anything important across. Walking over to where Rarity was working, Applejack and Pinkie sat themselves down in silence, waiting for a bit of good luck to come their way.

And it did, not but a half an hour later.

It would perhaps be the only time in his life that young master Pockets would be considered "lucky" to anypony (except, perhaps to his enemies on the frontline). Bursting through the doors of the Carousel Boutique, the nervous dark blue pegasus dashed over to Storm Cloud, panting heavily.

"Sergeant! Urgent news! The raid failed, Nightmare Moon and Twilight Sparkle have escaped again! And the captain, he's he's…"

"Out with it private!" Storm Cloud ordered, his news thus far being unwanted.

"…he's gone."

Storm Cloud's stern discipline was put to the test, but the grief in her voice could not be so easily concealed.

"Braveheart is dead? That witch murdered him!"

"Uh, no ma'am, what I meant is that he vanished."

"Damn it Pockets, could you try to be a little less vague?"

"Umm, reports from the wounded say Nightmare Moon used her magic to send him back to Canterlot, and you know how General Hawkeyes treats those who leave their post for any reason…"

"Not quite, but I'm sure you do."

"Immediate suspension, possible dismissal."

Storm Cloud's brow quivered with anger, she was now visibly upset.

"That stupid old coot and his unbending rules! We need Captain Braveheart, there's nopony else that can replace him for something this important! We have to get him back, if we don't this mission is done for, hell, everything is done for."

Golden Pockets just stood there and shook his head in nervous agreement, but it didn't take a genius to tell that Braveheart's absence was a welcomed reprieve for the whipping boy.

"Another thing, sergeant, Lightning Strike wants to see you. He was injured in the raid, but, uh, he's still next in the chain of command...seniority and all. Umm, also, could we switch posts? I'm getting pretty cold circling outside this place…"

"Ugh, fine. The world is falling apart all around you, and that's all you can think about: the cold. Whatever, anything to get you off my back, private. Just make sure to keep a close eye on them."

Before leaving, the guard paused and sighed to herself.

"Lightning Strike…he's not fit to command. Not today."

Left alone with the prisoners with nopony to bother him, Golden Pockets assumed the outwardly deceptive shell of a guard, but he was far from attentive. Indeed, the lingering effects of Luna's drug made him feel like he was going to pass out at any moment. Unfortunately for him, Rarity easily picked up on this. She was sensitive to any form of insincerity, be they through actions or words.

"Ladies," she whispered, "if we are to get ourselves out of our current predicament, I suggest we start now."

"But Rarity…" started Applejack hinting her head towards the guard.

"Oh, pay no attention to him. See how glazed his eyes seem? He's hardly awake let alone watching us."

Applejack smiled in relief, now they could get something done and hopefully reach Twilight before anything truly horrible could happen. Continuing to speak in a hushed tone, Applejack was finally able to deliver her message.

"All right then. Rarity, Pinkie Pie, I know this is a might hard to understand, but this morning I found Twilight…"

"Yes dear, with Princess Luna. The guards let the whole village know, but I believe Twilight must have had good reasoning to follow her. Not for a second do I think she would ever betray Celestia."

Applejack was a bit annoyed by Rarity's interruption, no matter how accurate it was.

"Okay Rarity, if you think yer so in the loop, then why d'ja think I risked my neck to come lookin' for you two, hmm?"

"Ooo! Ooo!" Pinkie Pie said, "Because you need the Elements of Harmony to help Twilight and Princess Luna!"

Applejack looked at the pink pony in disbelief.

"Uh, yeah, but how in the hay d'ja know that?"

"Oh, easy! My Pinkie Sense kicked in just a couple hours back! Twitchy left hoof, itchy back, and three winks from my left eye! That's why I have this!"

Reaching into her puffy mane, Pinkie pulled out her element to show to her friends briefly before putting back in the curly tangle.

"Why, that's swell Pinkie!" Applejack said, happy to see that their escape plans didn't include infiltrating Sugar Cube Corner, "But Pinkie, how'd you get out of those cuffs…?"

"Oh silly! When you've partied as hard as I have, you know you're way around a pair of dumb ol' hoovecuffs."

"Okay…how 'bout you Rarity? You have yer element?"

"Don't worry, I have it stored with my other valuables, it won't take long to retrieve."

"Good, now that that's all sorted, let's find a way outta town." Applejack said, her smile quickly turning to a frown," But that's just what we can't do. I bet ya the farm that the militia reserves have arrived by now. The town might as well be a big ol' fort, we won't be able to put two hooves on the ground without a guard breathin' down our backs!"

"Oh, please do cut the drama, Applejack," Rarity said dismissively, "it doesn't suit you at all, dear. What you need to do is think bigger."

"Darn it Rarity, if you have a plan, just out with it all ready! I don't want to be led around the barrel to a conclusion you made an hour ago!"

"Very well," Rarity said, drawing the other two together in a huddle, "let us gauge our position first. We are located near the town centre, possibly the worst spot to be imprisoned. Therefore, we will require something drastic, something potentially dangerous to achieve our ends. Applejack, you noted that Ponyville is now overrun with guards, this is true. Their sheer numbers may hinder an escape, but in this instance it is a crippling weakness for the guard. Did you not hear the sergeant? Captain Braveheart, the central commander of their operation, the force binding the guard together and directing its actions, is gone. We also know that the town is overwhelmed with fear and confusion, the guard being no different; their leader has just been defeated by the unknown terror of 'Nightmare Moon' after all."

"Uh-huh, it's true. They were pretty edgy when I came out to see them last night." said Pinkie, "Especially Pockets, he's such a scaredy cat!"

"Is he now?" Rarity said giving a wry smile, "Then we are doubly fortunate. I propose we take advantage of his cowardice, cause a deafening public uproar and sneak away into the night."

"How Rarity?" Pinkie asked.

"Simple my dear, I will become that which they fear most. I shall be Nightmare Moon! I have already prepared a rough design for my disguise, but it will be magnificently majestic, I assure you. I just need a couple hours, so it would be wonderful if you two could keep Private Clueless out of my mane while I work."

Rarity turned to see Applejack's eyes leveled in annoyance.

"What's the matter, dear?"

"Rarity, Ah've told ya a dozen times an' all tell ya again: I ain't impressed with yer undergraduate degree in Equestrian from Bale," Applejack said, prompting Rarity to blush and quickly overturn a certificate hanging on her wall, "You say a bunch more words then ya need to, a good plenty of 'em flew o'er my head completely. You could've saved a lot of breath if you just got to the heart of yer plan instead of muddlin' the issue by flashin' fancy words at me an' Pinkie."

"Pardon me Applejack, at times I just get carried away…"

"Don't worry 'bout it sugar cube, I got the gist of yer plan an' it sounds pretty sound."

At this time, Private Pockets was starting to regain a bit more of his wits and noticed the chattering trio.

"Hey, quiet down over there! What're you mares talking about anyway?"

"Oh, nothin' hun!" Applejack replied.

"Only you know, feminine matters." Rarity added.

" Uh-huh, like what?"

"Err, um dresses?"

"Parties!"

"And certain sexy stallions."

"Oh well then, carry on ladies." The private said suavely, giving Rarity a wink.

With that Pockets returned to the warm beaches of the tropical fantasy holiday he was playing out in his head. A white unicorn was there to greet him as well.

"Ugh!" Rarity shivered, "That worked a bit too well, I feel violated. Never the matter, I have work to begin. Pinkie Pie, if you could get my Element, it's in the safe just under the reception desk over there. The combination is…"

Before she could finish, Rarity noticed that Pinkie was already at the safe.

"…you'll figure it out."

Returning to her sewing machine, Rarity began with the first stages of her costume. By noon, she had made good ground, allowing her take the time to eat one of the hay sandwiches Pinkie Pie had prepared (with the non-supervision of Private Pockets). Under the pretense of a commissioned gown, Rarity's labor attracted little attention from the guard who simply wrote it off as commonplace in a boutique. Applejack and Pinkie Pie simply sat, at times speaking to each other about nothing in particular; the poor apple crop, baking accidents, the cost of sugar, whatever, in the hopes that if the guard was truly attentive that he would focus on them and not Rarity.

It was around 4:30 when the final touches were being put. Rarity beamed at her creation, which was currently severed into several parts as not to draw the attention of Lighthoof. Like the twisted alter ego of Princess Luna, all the pieces were jet black save the headpiece which Rarity managed to replicate the shining starry mane by placing her finest diamonds into a finely weaved cluster of blue feathers. The serpentine eyes were etched into the hood that completely covered the wearer's face. The body was a skin tight black leather which Rarity had replicated the moon goddess's cutie mark on. The leggings were quite long so to imitate Nightmare Moon's tall stature. Rarity had in her possession two pairs of platform shoes, though ungodly tacky, would help her costume to be that more convincing. Ready to set her plan into motion, Rarity called her friends over just to be interrupted by a thunderous shock wave that shook the very foundations of the boutique.

"What in Celestia's green earth was that?" a stunned Rarity sputtered.

"It couldn't be, she wouldn't…" said Applejack

"Yes-sir-ee-bob! That's a sonic rainboom!" chimed Pinkie Pie.

Looking over to the door, they saw the guard was peering out the door in amazement at the eerie moonlit rainbow explosion.

"This is it girls, quick, help me into the costume!" Rarity ordered, seeing that Rainbow Dash had unwittingly provided them an ideal window of opportunity.

Hastily the two managed to dress Rarity, both of them thankful that the fashion designer had kept the costume simple. In less than a minute, the white unicorn was ready for the debut of her latest creation.

"Hit the lights, Pinkie!" Applejack whispered.

"Okie-dokie-loki!"

With that, the building went dark, freaking out the young private as he turned back inside.

"Hey you three quit that and get back to where I can see you! D-don't test my good will!"

Out of the shadows, Rarity stepped forward into the patch of moonlight emanating from the doorway.

"No, you sad, pathetic worm." She said coldly, her voice sending a chill not just down Pocket's spine, but Applejack's as well, so perfect was her mimicry, "It is you who should not test the good will of me, Nightmare Moon! Tell your commanders you have witnessed the true power of Princess Luna! Now be gone you perverted runt before I send your sinful soul plunging into eternal darkness and despair! "

Shouting and screaming in fear, the guard dashed out of the boutique not looking back for a second. Perhaps if he did, he would have noticed that "Nightmare Moon" was only being supported by three legs.

"Applejack!" Rarity cried "Why didn't you buckle my boot?"

"To make it easier to take that get-up off! Now c'mon, now's our chance!"

The three friends carefully exited the boutique and slid into the shadows of Ponyville finding the best possible route to escape the village.

/

"Where the hell is Lightning Strike?" Storm Cloud shouted at Private Blackmane in the middle of the town centre, "He's been gone for two hours on some 'exploratory mission' when he's supposed to be our captain! Nightshade's been looking for him for an hour now, and he hasn't reported back either. Now it's almost 4:30, and we're nowhere near closer to finding Princess Celestia or Nightmare Moon! This would never happen under Braveheart's watch…"

"I'm sorry, sergeant, what was that?" Captain Lightning Strike said behind her back causing the mare to quickly face him, "That sounded like insubordination! I can and will have you court marshaled. Remember your rank, I think you forget about it too often."

To Lightning Strike's surprise, the soldier didn't back down. Instead, she only got in his face.

"No. I don't care. Do it. Because you know what, Lightning? It won't matter, because we're all going to be dead anyway. You haven't gotten us a step closer to solving this crisis 'cause all you do is walk around like a ghost, giving us token orders while you're mind is a thousand miles away. Oh, and _captain_, I know where it is. It's with the traitor, Twilight Sparkle. You can't bear to see her hurt anymore, do you?"

"Seargent! I will not tolerate this, give me the respect you would Braveheart!" said a flustered Lightning Strike.

"Lightning, you were a good lieutenant. Maybe you will be a great captain in your own right someday, but you don't have anypony's respect on the guard now. Even with the additional garrison, you're having us babysitting when we should be capturing Nightmare Moon. C'mon Lightning, I'm not stupid. You know it and I know it, you're not up to this task. Deep down, you know we need Captain Braveheart back."

Pulling a scroll from her armor, she continued.

"Here's a petition from the entire guard demanding that Braveheart be sent back to lead us. We've made it quite clear that this is a life or death decision on the General's part, all it needs is your seal and he can't refuse us. There's a dragon at the library, you know, he can get this back to Canterlot in seconds."

As Lightning Strike hesitated, a mighty shockwave through the two off balance. Looking up to the sky, Storm knew exactly what its source was.

"A sonic rainboom! The only pegasus to pull that off in a hundred years is Rainbow Dash! No doubt she's running off to meet with Nightmare Moon and Twilight Sparkle. Now's your chance to prove me wrong, Lightning! Lead us! Remember who you are and who you owe your loyalty and service to!"

Lightning paused for a minute, but before he could reply a startling cry rung throughout Ponyville.

"Nightmare Moon! Nightmare Moon is here! Everypony flee, flee for your lives!"

Dashing through the town centre, they saw Private Pockets running madly and screaming his warnings. Soon the doors opened, and citizens flooded the streets; no way would the promise of muffins send them back inside again. At the sight of a royal guard running from his post, some in the district militia dropped their arms and joined in the panic.

"Royal Guard! Form up, defensive positions! Encircle the square!" the captain yelled.

"Lightning!" Storm shouted, "We don't have enough pegasi! Too many have been wounded."

"Damn it, then get me some good militaponies out here to help us!"

"…"

"Do it!"

Storm Cloud did her best to gather some well disciplined soldiers while Lightning Strike did his best with the pegasi he had to hold back and control the crowds. The riot lasted an hour, but the captain made sure to limit any physical beatings of civilians. After the crowd was dispersed and sent home, Lightning Strike smiled. No pony had been seriously hurt, and the damage had been contained. Sure it had taken him a lot longer than what Braveheart could accomplish, the veteran captain's shock and awe strategy generally paid off at the cost of a few injured ponies. But efficiency had not been Lightning's goal. Everypony's safety was at the forefront of his mind, but in the back was a more personal reason, one he was ashamed to indulge but did so nonetheless.

His desire to keep his promise to Twilight Sparkle.

As the cold breeze blew the settling dust away, however, a small shape caught his eye.

His heart froze, his breathing stopped. All he felt was dread and the unforgiving winds.

Approaching the figure, he shook his head in disbelief. He thought he had done everything right, he even avoided Braveheart's brutality, yet a still corpse now painted the ground red. No matter what he tried, he could not turn his gaze away from the lifeless light blue colt before him, that is until a shrill cry pierced the air.

Eyes wide with confusion and despair, Lightning Strike saw the foal's mother collect him in her hooves. She wailed and gnashed her teeth in sorrow and bitterness, her tears cleansing her young son's blood-stained and dirt-matted coat. Looking furiously at the captain, she cursed him, but the only word Lightning Strike heard was "monster". Now he could truly understand the full force of Braveheart's agony.

No longer able to take the scene, he turned around only to see Storm Cloud with a grim face and her scroll in hoof. Looking deeply into his eyes, she offered it to him without saying a word.

The former captain did not hesitate a second to accept it.

/

At this time, the three escapees finally found themselves approaching Fluttershy's cottage.

"Excellent, it's about time we arrived." Rarity sarcastically sang "Good work guiding us Applejack."

"Oh, Ah'm sorry Rarity, Ah guess when you two pieced together darn well near everything Ah had to tell ya, Ah guess Ah didn't get mah word in that we were supposed to get to Fluttershy's" Applejack replied, "Anyway, there was no way in Celestia's good name that we were gonna get a straight shot to her house. We had to walk around town no matter which way you spell it."

Looking at Rarity, Applejack noticed the third member of their company wasn't in step with them.

"Pinkie? You all right?"

Pinkie sat staring past her friends with big eyes. At last she spoke in a subdued tone.

"Everfree is burning."

/


	7. Chapter 7

Frigid Winds and Burning Hearts

Part 7

Standing just outside the small woodland cottage, Luna and Fluttershy beheld with awe the tremendous array of colors that, for the moment, had dispelled the utter darkness that enshrouded Equestria. Luna was enthralled by its color, the way the moonlight touched the precipitation created a faint, ghastly spectrum that permeated across the welkin. It was not often that she had a rainbow grace her night sky, and certainly none as magnificent as the one now illuminating the heavens in concert with the light of her shining stars. Together with the moon they wove a wondrous tapestry that brought joy and inspiration to Luna's heart. The spectacle invoked memories of the Aurora Borealis she was fond of painting into her nightly masterpieces centuries ago, and suddenly her cares melted away with the sprawling burst of color. Feeling a jolt of exhilaration take her as she marveled, Luna desired above all else to tame the rainbow blast and scatter its beauty across the heavens.

"Magnificent, wouldn't you say Fluttershy?" Luna asked.

Hearing no response, the goddess turned to her side to find nopony there.

Obviously, Fluttershy did not share in Luna's enthusiasm. Recognizing Rainbow Dash's signature Sonic Rainboom, the young caretaker immediately worried for her friend's safety and disregarded the stunning sight. Compelled by her fears, Fluttershy took to her wings and flew as fast as she possibly could against the chilling gusts. She was a naturally weak flier, but such was her love and determination that the winds soon found a worthy adversary in the usually meek pegasus.

However, the winds posed little challenge to the moon goddess as she effortlessly sailed through the air to catch up with the struggling pegasus.

"Fluttershy!" Luna shouted against the current, "What's the matter, dear? Did it spook you?"

"Oh, no, umm, sorry! I, uh, it's just that-well, Rainbow Dash…"

"I can't hear you, could you speak up?!"

"Uh, well, you see…" Fluttershy sputtered; a bit flabbergasted that Luna felt it necessary to carry on a conversation when she was putting all of her heart into just remaining airborne.

"Hold that thought, I can see Twilight and another pony in the distance."

"Oh thank goodness!" the pegasus thought to herself as the pair descended on hoof and dashed over to the moonlit figures before them. It didn't take long for the two newcomers to see that not all was well with their companions.

"Rainbow, I told you to make sure to avoid the guard!" Twilight fumed, "Not race them! What were you thinking?"

"Well, to be fair Twi, there was only one…" Rainbow Dash said nonchalantly, hoping her casual attitude would compliment her 'no big deal' defense.

"Only one? Only one? There are going to be fifty armed elite guards on our tails pretty soon because of that one."

"Okay, okay, my bad Twilight…"

"Oh Rainbow Dash, I'm so glad you're okay!" Fluttershy said, interrupting the bickering ponies. "I was sooo worried!"

Rainbow Dash smiled and gave Twilight a condescending look.

"Well at least somepony cares about how I'm doing after barely besting one of the greatest fliers in Equestria. Thanks Fluttershy."

"Indeed, what a truly impressive performance!" Luna said emerging from the shadows, a fiery joy still evident in her words, "Such a rarity it is to see a mortal outdo a goddess, and on her own canvas at that!"

What was just as rare was to see Rainbow Dash blush at a complement. Even the praise of her heroes, the Wonderbolts, paled in comparison to the deity's words.

"I guess it was kinda great…" Rainbow Dash said, rubbing the back of her head. Twilight rolled her eyes; she knew Rainbow was now just angling for more of the princesses' flattery.

"Oh, Rainbow Dash, there's no need to play humble with me! I insist, we must fly together under the midnight sky and play among the stars someday…"

"Princess Luna," Twilight broke in, annoyed that the goddess had seemingly lost all sense of urgency because the sky looked pretty, "now isn't the time for talk. We have to get moving, but I just don't know where to..."

Luna's spirit drained as Twilight brought her back down to earth, all of her cares, fears and doubts returning to the front of her mind. Once again, she was astounded by her own irrationalities. Celestia remained missing, the guard belligerent, and their situation hopeless and without direction yet she could not help but get lost in her passion at a crucial juncture that required an astute, decisive decision. The worst part in the whole matter was that Luna had failed to lead her little fellowship; instead she relied on the plans of others despite her own reservoir of ancient knowledge and experience.

No more. Now was her chance to fulfill her duty as a princess of Equestria.

"It seems, Twilight, that we have little choice but to enter Everfree Forest." Luna said sternly.

Twilight's eyes widened at the suggestion.

"No princess, I thought of that too but it's just too dangerous! I don't want anypony else hurt today."

"What should we fear from Everfree?" Luna said as if Twilight had insulted her, "There are dangerous beasts, yes, but that same dread the forest inspires in you will also shield us from the Royal Guard. At the moment, it is far more dangerous to linger around Ponyville than to enter Everfree."

Twilight bit her lip. She had made the mistake of belittling the dangers of the dark forest before and nearly died in a coffin of stone because of it. However, Luna was right; the Royal Guard posed more of a direct threat. As she at last consented with a silent nod, she could only hope that Luna would be able to protect them if things became awry. Yet Everfree was unpredictable and Luna still mortal. One wrong turn could very well spell the end of the world.

"Excellent," Luna said, "let's waste no more time here, follow me."

"Umm, princess," Fluttershy spoke up, "I think its best that I just go back, uh I can't just leave Applebloom alone and Big Mac is still in need of care…"

Luna frowned. Once again she failed to take into account the entirety of their situation, and again that somepony else would have to solve.

"…we don't have time to argue." Twilight sighed in frustration, "For the moment, Luna, Rainbow Dash and I need to hide. If the other three are coming, they'll need to know just where we're going: Everfree Castle. Fluttershy, I need you to wait for them, it's pointless to throw another pony in harm's way when we don't have all the Elements. The guard still views you as innocent anyway…I think…but hanging around us will do you no good. Everypony understand? All right, let's go."

Luna looked at Twilight with a mixture of envy and curiosity; the way she quickly calculated, interpreted, and directed their current situation was reminiscent of Celestia's own ability. Yet it was imperfect. Surely Twilight did not seriously expect that her friends had managed to escape Ponyville when they were already so many hours late. It seemed that Celestia's pupil was taking a leap of faith into the unknown where cold rationality was of little use.

Luna smiled. Twilight was learning.

As the company broke up and the trio passed under the dark boughs of Everfree Forest, Twilight was both relieved and terrified. On one hoof, she was now certain that Lightning Strike was holding back the guard, there was no other reason that they weren't currently under arrest. On the other, she had let Fluttershy return to her cottage. The pegasus had an inexplicable mastery of the wildlife and had saved Twilight's life in the past because of it, but Twilight knew it was pointless to try and tear Fluttershy away from a patient. Now she was gone, and, even in the company of a goddess, Twilight could not shake off the foreboding sense that something terrible was about to happen.

Rainbow Dash, too, had her doubts, but for different reasons. Now that the thrill of her race with Nightshade had begun to dissipate, she began to grow a little curious about Princess Luna's intent and innocence, but her unshakeable loyalty to Twilight kept her from seriously questioning the goddess. At any rate, the princess was quite the fan of her flying…maybe she wasn't so bad…maybe she was even cool.

Following Luna's lead, they walked in silence, until another question came to Rainbow Dash.

"Uh, Twilight, I know you're usually pretty good at comin' up with solid plans, but uh, why Everfree Castle? Couldn't we just go to Zecora's, it's a lot closer to Fluttershy's…"

"No Rainbow," Twilight quickly responded, "I don't want to drag Zecora into this mess. We don't need any more Big Macs today…"

"Uh, what exactly is that supposed to even mean?"

Twilight sighed and prepared to fill all the gaps for Rainbow Dash. As the unicorn informed her friend of their various trials, Luna was on high alert. Like Twilight, she had felt uneasiness upon entering the eerie wood that was unusual for the goddess. Naturally she loved to wander Everfree during the night, but something was just not quite right, the forest just felt…off.

Nearing the gorge that had once tested Twilight's faith, Luna stopped to gather her bearings and soothe her misgivings. But before she could even so much as think about a way out, the earth below the trio suddenly began to writhe and convulse, throwing the three to their knees. Looking up, Luna could not help but feel fear grip her as a tremendous dragon arose from the pit before them. Its scales were blood red, but it bore black markings as well across its body. Eyeing the shocked group, the beast angrily glared at Twilight and Rainbow Dash. As his gaze reached Luna he paused, the ferocity in his eyes melting into a pensive contemplation. At length he grinned, revealing a row of beautiful obsidian teeth that complimented his black claws.

"Чтобы думаю, что моя Немезида должна невольно вхожу в свой притон и спаси меня боль найти ее. Наконец-то мы встречаемся, проклятый и поносил демона. Ты пришел, чтобы искупить свои грехи?"

It had been centuries since Luna had spoken Wyrmish, but it was a simple, chilling question.

"To think my nemesis should unwittingly enter my den and save me the pain of finding her. At long last we meet, accursed and reviled demon. Have you come to atone for your sins?"

Gathering her courage, Luna did her best to reply in the dragon's tongue, but it came across sounding like this:

"Dragon, no quarrel have I had of you. Never have my eyes seen you, go back home and sleep on your treasure bed."

Much to her dismay, the dragon erupted into laughter.

"Ha! This is the tongue that enslaved so many of my brethren?" the dragon roared in perfect Equestrian, "Surely your words are fairer in the language of your own kind, demon? Or has a millennia of banishment utterly drained the Nightmare of her potency? "

The dragon's insolence infuriated Luna, her voice now shaking with fear and rage.

"I don't need to prove anything to you, dragon. It's not wise to taunt a goddess who has defeated so many of your kin in ages past, now be gone and leave us in peace!"

The beast ceased his laughter and stared indignantly at Luna.

"Leave you in peace? Do not speak to me of "peace", Nightmare! I shall never know it because of you. For centuries you have haunted my sleep, mocking me from beyond the surreal rift between truth and dream. No, I will never be at peace, the most I can hope for is to see you face the justice her highness spared you from. Only when you feel the same suffering your shadow left upon Celestia shall I return to my slumber."

"Dragon!" Luna cried out, taken aback by the beast's unwarranted vitriol, "I'm not the villain here! Celestia imprisoned _me_, how can I be responsible for the evils you accuse me of!? I was not part of your war!"

"Huh, a tale I heard a thousand times over from the mouths of the enemy." the dragon snorted, "But you cannot deceive me, witch, I saw firstclaw what you did daily to blessed Celestia!"

The dragon's reverence for Celestia struck Luna as very unusual since his race had a very contentious relationship with the sun goddess that was characterized by conflict and distrust. The dragon's accent also prodded her curiosity, not only was it much more refined than the deep growling sounds that usually emanated from the mouth of dragon, it was tinged with a ring reminiscent of the noble accent commonly heard at the medieval court of Canterlot. As her observations coalesced, a very simple question came to mind.

"Who exactly are you, dragon, to know my sister so intimately as to know her daily struggles?"

Once again, the dragon snorted in contempt.

"Do not pretend that you have never heard my name. It was I who broke the siege of Canterlot, I who decimated your forces outside the gates of St. Ponyburg, I who routed and crushed your griffon allies in the high passes, I who slayed my own kind so yours could finally find peace under Celestia's sacred heaven!"

"You're Blackteeth!" Twilight interrupted enthusiastically, her fear being replaced by her natural scholastic curiosity, "You were one of the legendary heroes of the forgotten war! You were only a drake at the time, yet you managed to lead the Royal Guard and Celestia's army to victory!"

Luna gave Twilight an ugly look, causing the exuberant student to blush. The dragon, however, smiled at her, bearing his toothy grin proudly in response.

"Ha, that one so young should know while the eternal should plead ignorance! You are close unicorn; "Blackteeth" was but a name my soldiers would call me on the battlefield. It was rare in those days to be born the way I was, leaving me markedly different from the other dragons fighting in the war. Against her highness."

The dragon paused, his voice lowering to a solemn growl.

"No, when she hatched me, Celestia named me Ajax. She was a mother to me in those earliest of evil days when the sun did battle against the moon and the fires of war burned across her land. Though day and night became impossible to distinguish, it mattered little to Celestia. She toiled without end trying to curtail the severity of the famine, suppress the rebellion, and restore order in the heavens. Despite this hell, rarely did she neglect me. Celestia loved me dearly and saw to it that I was at her side whenever she was at Canterlot Castle. Growing up among the military commanders at her court no doubt trained my body and mind for war, but it was you, Nightmare Moon, who gave me cause."

At the mentioning of the hated name, Ajax's anger and fury rekindled, a change that startled Twilight, but the anxiety she now felt was of a different nature. Celestia had always been reluctant to tell her anything about the past, insisting that she rely on her own scholarly abilities and do the research herself. Suffice it to say, this dragon had told her more in a few sentences than her teacher ever did. Not only that, it seemed that Celestia had reduced "Blackteeth" to nothing more than an old mare's tale, much like she had done to Luna. What drove Celestia to erase the names of those she loved most from the annals of history?

"For hours at a time, Celestia went out to push back your fell shadow so that the light of the sun could warm the land and supply the pony folk with at least a meager harvest. But your cruelty knew no bounds, for as she gained the upperhoof, you would refuse to usher in the night so that the sun would scorch the earth and undo all of Celestia's efforts. Through this way, you embittered her ponies and turned them against her, turning rebellion into a total civil war."

Ajax paused once again, as puffs of black smoke began to escape from his mouth and nostrils.

"But even this was not your greatest crime! No, not only would you not give Celestia a moment of peace as she struggled against your armies and black magic, you plagued her every dream, the one place we should have been free of you! Every time I slept by Celestia's side I was awoken by either grief-ridden mutterings of "Luna" or her tortured shouting. She would later apologize to me, saying that it was just a nightmare and not to worry, but I knew. It was the Nightmare. For two decades you slowly sapped Celestia of her strength and will to resist the evils you unleashed, and eventually her responsibilities became too numerous for her to bear alone."

With a deafening roar and a burst of flame, Ajax made it clear to Luna that he wasn't just storytelling; his words served to awaken a wrath that had lain dormant, festering deep within his mind for centuries. He was working himself into a frenzy.

"It was when I came of age and alleviated her from the command of the armed forces that Celestia could at last focus her efforts at purging you from the heavens and bring harmony back to the land. I gladly accepted the task, honored that I could at last smite Celestia's enemies from the earth, and smite them I did! A thousand souls perished by my sword alone, hundreds more incinerated and turned to dust at the touch of my flaming breath! And you know what, demon? I feel no remorse for those pathetic ponies, for every one of their deaths was not just of your own making, but a necessary sacrifice to Celestia's ultimate triumph and glory!"

The dragon lowered his mighty head to meet Luna's gaze. The goddess, however, remained undaunted and stood her ground in pensive silence.

"When the war ended and you were banished, Celestia sent me here to guard the path to Tartarus. Faithfully I have done so with the promise that someday you would return to your accursed wood and I could at last exact my vengeance!"

Ajax spat another jet of flame into the night sky, filling the forest with an ominous fiery light.

"Now you can no longer deny your sins! It's time you faced judgment!"

Preparing his claws to strike, Ajax felt a sharp kick strike him across the temple. With an annoyed grunt, he turned away from Luna to see Rainbow Dash hovering before him.

"Hey pal, that was a pretty stuffy story! Ha! What a real snooze-fest geez! Could you possibly talk anymore? I think I got two naps in during your little intro alone! Someone really needs to take himself a little less seriously."

Staring at Rainbow, Ajax released a puff of black smoke from his nostrils, engulfing the gutsy pegasus in a suffocating black cloud.

"See that's, what I'm talking about." Rainbow coughed, "What's the deal with holding a grudge against Princess Luna anyway? It's not like you can even beat her."

"Hmm," the dragon said, looking the pegasus over, "this gnat must be the one the birds are chattering about, Rainbow Rush."

"…it's Dash…"

"Yes, you're the pegasus who thrice awoke me with your incessant "trick". Normally I would snap your wings, but I suppose I should be grateful. You alerted me to the stillness of the earth, something I have not sensed since last Nightmare Moon walked upon it."

Turning his sharp gaze back to Luna, Ajax continued to address Rainbow Dash.

"As for 'beating' Nightmare Moon, it matters not if I fail to defeat her. My only wish is to make her suffer as much as what is in my power! If that demands my death, so be it. I shall die happy!"

With his intent clear, the mighty dragon slashed again at Luna. Having anticipated such a move, Luna evaded the strike with a quick duck and sprung into the air.

"Ajax!" she shouted, "What would Celestia say if she could see you now! Do you honestly believe you honor her name with bloodshed and battle?"

"Silence demon!" he shouted, slashing wildly at the evasive deity, "Everything I have ever done was for her! You will not poison me with doubt, seductress!"

Ajax unleashed a flaming spiral that consumed Luna, but it was quickly repelled, revealing the goddess protected by a magical barrier. In response, Luna's eyes glowed with a terrifying blue aura.

"Do not test me. I will not tolerate your threats!"

Again the dragon swiped at Luna, only to see her dissolve into the shadows. Reappearing, Luna slightly grimaced in response to the painful transformation.

"_Fine_! Then suffer nature's wrath!"

From far above the forest canopy, several pillars of lightning struck Ajax, shocking the beast and causing him to retreat behind his wings.

Seeing this, Rainbow Dash cheered.

"Yeah, show that dumb lizard who's princess…uhh…princess!"

Turning to Twilight, it was clear that Rainbow Dash still did not understand the gravity of their predicament.

"Twi, did you see that? That was so flippin' awesome!"

Twilight shook her head in exasperation, but in doing so, she noticed a disturbing new development. Not far from where Luna had been standing, several trees were alight with the dragon's fire.

"The forest is on fire! Oh no, no, no, no! What do we do, what do we do?"

Unlike Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash was no genius, thus over thinking was rarely a problem for her. She liked her facts straight and forward, with very little dressing on top. This much she did know though: water puts out fire.

Saluting Twilight, Rainbow Dash gave a proud smile.

"Ponyville's weather officer reporting for duty! No prob Twi, I got this!"

"But Rainbow," Twilight cut her off, "You can't tame the weather here, this is Everfree, it's unenchanted!"

Rainbow brought her hoof to her chin and thought for a few seconds. Wetting it, she tested the direction of the wind and smirked once again.

"You worry too much Twilight. You think the princess is summoning lightning from nowhere? I can do something like that...but I'll need to reach the border of the forest. The precipitation in the air is fine for a good downpour, but it's cold so don't blame me if we get snow instead. Anyway, even these stupid freak winds are in our favor…"

No sooner did she say this, a gust of wind fanned the flames, igniting the highest branches of the tree next to them.

"…more or less. I can use 'em to send a storm headed this way pronto!"

With no better alternative, Twilight hurriedly agreed.

"Okay, okay! Get going and be safe!"

Rainbow Dash nodded and bolted off as quickly as she could back to the forest edge, leaving her signature rainbow trail in her wake.

While the two friends planned, the battle between goddess and dragon continued furious and unabated. Deftly Luna dodged the beast's flaming blasts as she spiraled down into the canyon in the hope of keeping her companions out of harm's way. Ajax followed her closely, stretching out his claw and smacking her against the rock. A rush of pain ran through her body, but Luna endured. Using her magic, she returned the favor and crushed Ajax directly into the bedrock below them headfirst. The dragon roared in pain. He quickly arose and blasted the princess with another wave of flame. Again Luna shielded herself, but her response was not quick enough, allowing a tongue of flame to leave a small but nasty burn across her the left side of her face. When the stream of fire ceased, Ajax saw Luna grimace in pain, his handiwork clearly marring the goddess' complexion. At the sight, his eyes lit up and laughed with a twisted joy.

"Never have you looked so beautiful to me, Nightmare! Now you shall never be free of me, a fitting penance for your sins!"

Ajax's heated words angered Luna, but her heart was conflicted. She had listened to the dragon's story intently, and though she learned through him that Celestia had openly demonized her, it had become clear that Celestia did not have a firm handle of the war and very nearly came close to losing it. Luna was deeply disturbed by this fact, this idea that her sister was not at the helm of history. Rather, she was just like her subjects: a victim of circumstances. Then was all that suffering Ajax described really Luna's fault, had her simple abdication really brought about so much death and destruction that even Celly could not abide?

_"No, how can that be?"_she contemplated, doing her best to avoid Ajax's claws, [i]"_How could my sister ever be at the mercy of mortals?_"

Unfortunately for the goddess, her distracted mind dulled her reflexes. Among her twist and turns, Ajax had managed to bring his claws down upon her. Luna escaped the worst of it, but they still tore at her left foreleg. Through the pain, Luna responded in turn by binding the dragon to the earth, bearing down upon him a greater gravitational pressure. In vain Ajax resisted the inescapable force, but Luna's magic soon had him on his knees before the moon goddess.

"No!" the dragon growled through his clenched jaw, "I will not be defeated by some cheap magic trick!"

After a brief struggle, Ajax managed to open his jaw and release a torrent of flame, just barely catching Luna off guard. Again, the goddess shielded herself, but Ajax did not relent in his assault; he was pouring all of his energy into the circling inferno that now engulfed the goddess. Already having endured the extreme temperatures of several spurts of flame, her mortal body could not handle the scorching heat. Before her barrier could crack under the strain, Luna burst through the wall of fire, only to be greeted by a sharp blow from Ajax. Flying into the side of the canyon, Luna's magic had managed to soften the impact but a searing pain still ripped through her body. At last though, Luna had enough distance to concentrate and focus her power in order to finally subdue the dragon. Crushing him with gravity, the goddess tried fixing him in place again. However, the dragon resisted and continued to slowly crawl towards her. Seeing she had little other choice, Luna sent a bolt of blue magic into the open heavens above. Closing her eyes, Luna plucked a meteor from the cosmos and hurtled it towards earth. Looking up, Ajax saw the flaming doomsday the goddess had in store for him. Cursing, Ajax braced himself for impact. As the debris hailed down from the sky, Luna was surprised to see the dragon bear the brunt of the incredible celestial force. With his massive claws outstretched, he pushed back against the meteor's crushing power, but it was too much to bear. Seeing the dragon fall to the ground, Luna noticed that the dragon amazingly had sustained no visible injury from her assault. No, what crippled the dragon was the rippling shock of enduring a mighty blow.

Despite his shock and the heavy gravity, Ajax tried to stand up again, only to be pushed back down on his back by Luna.

As an agonizing roar filled the air, the promised storm arrived on the breath of the wind. A downpour of cold, heavy rain extinguished the flames threatening the forest of Everfree and cooled the fatigued goddess. Luna panted in exhaustion, the beads of sweat once trickling down the side of her face were now washed away by the cleansing rainfall. Her flesh was burned and torn, but nonetheless she stood victorious over her foe. Flying above Ajax, she descended, landing upon his chest as a conqueror would her victim. At her touch, the dragon renewed his attempts to strike her, but Luna held him down fast.

"Ajax, stop!" she pleaded with shortened breath, "It's over!"

"No! No! Not until you die can the war end!" the dragon's voice quivered in frustration.

"Ajax, you know that is a hopeless dream. If I were to die, this world too would perish."

Thrashing beneath her the dragon roared with a terrible suffering.

"Then this war shall never end! But I shall fight it until Celestia's golden sun turns black, I swear it! I swear upon my undying love for her beauty, her wisdom, her majesty!"

Watching from atop the ravine, Twilight could not help but feel compassion for the defeated dragon. His loyalty to her teacher reminded her of her own little dragon's constant quest to earn Twilight's approval and admiration. She saw in Ajax the same love, obedience, and protectiveness Spike had for her. A tear rolled from her eye as she waited for Luna to free the dragon from his excruciating torment.

Ajax's unbridled zeal and tragic life, too, moved Luna to pity. Looking into his eyes, she saw the serpentine stare of Nightmare Moon. Like Luna, Ajax's festering hatred made him willing to destroy all of creation just to achieve his vengeance. Yet they differed too, for this creature's hate for her was dwarfed by the love he had for Celestia while Luna had loved only herself in that darkest hour. In her heart, Luna felt inferior to the dragon. She could not kill him for she was guilty of much greater sins.

Plucking a feather from her wings, Luna transfigured the plume into her sleeping powder and spread it across the dragon's face.

"Sleep, Ajax. For once I will leave you in peace…"

As the tranquilizer took its effect, the dragon stopped his struggling. His heart slowed and his eyes grew weary. Closing them, he found himself surrounded by a dazzling white light. As he focused, he saw a radiant Celestia emerge to greet him with a loving smile. A single tear escaped his eye as her sweet laughter filled his ears and soothed his spirit.

A loud snore signaled to Luna that Ajax had been at last subdued. Flying back to the top of the valley to meet Twilight, Luna faintly smiled to the unicorn. However, the act only served to highlight her fatigue and injury instead of assuring Twilight she was all right.

"Princess!" Twilight shouted, trying to help support the weakened goddess, "I knew you'd push yourself too much! You're still not used to being mortal, yet you seemed as eager to fight Ajax as he was to fight you. You hardly bothered to reason with him at all! Princess, you need to be more careful, I was really scared for you."

"Twilight," Luna panted, "You can never understand us, you will never know hate so deep as ours. We kept our wounds green for a thousand years and daily we drank deeply from our bitterness. No…a few words would have never deterred Ajax from his desire to punish me. You should understand this better than anypony: did you try to reason with me on that fateful summer day? Twilight, I know you know that this world isn't dictated by reason alone."

Suddenly, Luna heard chattering voices coming from down the path before them. Her keen night vision caught sight several ponies running towards them, and sure enough, they were Twilight's friends. With a light chuckle, she faced the unicorn again.

"See Twilight, your friends came." Luna said with ragged breath, "Despite everything, they came. Don't be afraid to follow your feelings, in the end …reason…is…you know…feeling…"

"Luna, Luna!" Twilight shouted as the goddess trailed off, her eyes becoming glazed and unfocused "Look at me!"

Feeling her knees buckle underneath her, Luna collapsed to the wet earth, finding herself once again in utter darkness.

/

"Whoa nelly!" Applejack exclaimed "You ain't kiddin', Pinkie, there's definitely a mighty big fire out there, just look at that smoke!"

As the three escapees looked past Fluttershy's cottage, they could see large black plumes of smoke billowing above the foliage. It was dispersed across the night sky by the wind, but the fume faintly lingered, blotting out the stars. A bit worried, Applejack ran to Fluttershy's door, hoping that her friends were still within the safe confines of the humble abode. Knocking wildly on the door, she was greeted by a meek voice.

"Umm, just a second, uhh, may I know who this is please?"

"Fluttershy, it's me Applejack! Y'all might wanna come out here, the forest is a blazin' somethin' fierce!"

The door creaked open as the timid pegasus popped her head out to check out Applejack's claim. It didn't take the naturalist long to notice the faint glow of the flames in the distance.

"Oh my, oh no!" Fluttershy nervously stammered, her face turning pale.

"What's the matter there sugar cube, I know yer worried 'bout them critters in…"

Suddenly, Applejack was interrupted by a loud jubilant cry from a small but very brave little pony.

"Applejack, Applejack! Yer okay!"

Dashing past Fluttershy, Applebloom threw herself at her sister and hugged her tightly. Applejack was caught completely off guard as her sister's love tried to suffocate her.

"All right there Applebloom, you can let go now…"

"Oh, sorry sis."

Released, Applejack took a deep breath before addressing Applebloom with a stern voice.

"Applebloom, what in tarnation are you doin' at Fluttershy's! You should be mindin' the farm with Big Mac!"

The young filly's smile immediately vanished and was replaced with a troubled expression.

"But Applejack, the farm was attacked by Princess Luna's guards. Ah dunno, the princess explained it to me but it still don't seem to make much sense at all…"

As her little sister spoke with chilled words, a wave of dread ran through the sturdy laborer. In Ponyville, she was thrilled to hear of the raid's failure and had expected that Twilight and Luna, two of the most powerful beings in Equestria, fought off the intruders with little effort and little damage to her property. But if Applebloom was here that meant that not all went well at Sweet Apple Acres…

"I don't wanna hear that lyin' Luna's story! I wanna hear it from mah brother, where's Big Mac?"

At his mentioning, Applebloom's eyes welled up and turned away from her big sister. Deeply disturbed, Applejack turned to a catatonic Fluttershy and shook her.

"Where's mah brother Fluttershy? Where's Twilight an' Luna!" she yelled angrily, "Darn it, somepony give me some answers!"

"Calm yourself Applejack!" Rarity said, pulling the cowgirl away from the stunned pegasus "This is no way to treat a friend. Will you please keep a cool head dear, we have many problems on our hooves and shouting is hardly going to solve any of them."

Fluttershy blinked several times at her friends before responding the best she could.

"Umm, I'm sorry Applejack, but your brother has sustained severe trauma, broken several ribs, and received a nasty injury from a crossbow but Twilight and Luna…"

"A crossbow!" Applejack replied with a mixture of shock and indignation, "Lemme see him! Lemme see what they did to mah brother!"

Pushing her way past Fluttershy, Applejack quickly ran up the stairs and entered Fluttershy's room. The sight of her recovering brother, though encouraging, did little to pacify the brew of emotions swirling around Applejack's heart. She felt hatred, confusion, sorrow, and fear but she could hardly channel them into words. All she could do was give a few frustrated stamps, toss her hat on the ground, curl up and cry. As she became absorbed in her emotional struggle, she hardly heard the hoof steps of Rarity come up the stairs.

"Applejack, dear. It's all right. Fluttershy says he's on the mend and should be fine in a month or two." Rarity said trying to comfort her friend the best she could . In all honesty, she too was appalled by the state Big Mac was in and found it disgusting that Celestia's guard would so mercilessly brutalize somepony over a crass assumption. However, she had to be strong for Applejack, especially since they were needed elsewhere.

"Applejack, I know this will be difficult for you, but we need to help Twilight and Luna. They're stuck in the Everfree Forest, and Fluttershy believes that the fire is in some way connected to them. Based off the adventure we've had to day, I'd say she's probably right. Now come on, we haven't much time."

Applejack turned from her grief and angrily glared at Rarity.

"No! No! No! Ah ain't helpin' Twilight or Luna again today! Y'all can go, Ah gotta take care of mah family first."

"Applejack, reconsider what you're saying." Rarity pleaded, "Twilight needs the Elements of Harmony to help find Celestia, she needs you…"

"That ain't what they're for! If ya jus' listened to me in town ya woulda known! It's jus' for Luna, that's why we need 'em, to help her be immortal again. Ain't got nothin' to do with findin' Celestia." Applejack railed standing to her feet, "an' right now I don't give one darn apple 'bout Luna or her stupid god drama! She was ready to sacrifice mah brother jus' to escape arrest. Nah, I ain't doin' one more thing for her. I'm stayin' here with Big Mac."

"Applejack, perhaps you're being unfair…" the unicorn replied, trying another stab at it before being interrupted again.

"I don't care Rarity! If y'all say you don't have the time to diddle daddle, get yer hides goin'!"

"Please dear, try to be reasonable…"

"LEAVE!"

With that, Applejack shoved Rarity outside the bedroom door and slammed it. Immediately, she heard the bed stir behind her, followed shortly by the gentle voice of her brother.

"Uhh…AJ…"

Hearing Big Mac, Applejack's anger at her friends gave way to the concern she had for his well-being. Rushing to his bedside, she quickly responded.

"Yeah Big Mac? What is it?"

"Whenever folk say Ah'm too quiet, Ah always remind 'em that yer plenty loud fer the both of us."

Both siblings chuckled, but tears now slowly streamed down Applejack's face.

"Ah Big Mac," she sniffled, "why ya gotta tease me now when Ah can't even fight ya back?"

Looking over her brother carefully, Applejack could see more clearly the injury her older brother had endured. Though Fluttershy had done her best to redress the wounds regularly, the earth pony's blood still imprinted a crimson stain on the white cotton wrappings. As she gazed into his peaceful eyes, she noticed the many stitches and bruises covering his face. It was becoming painfully difficult to keep a stiff upper lip as she turned her attention to where the bolt had pierced his flesh and bone. Tears welling, she lovingly hugged her brother.

"Big Mac, look at what that witch's done to you!" she cried aloud, "We shoulda never have trusted Luna, she jus' ain't right in the head!"

"AJ," Big Mac replied in a firm voice, "You can't go on blamin' the princess for what happened to me. Ain't fair at all, ya hear?"

"But Big Mac, if she never scuffled with Celestia and came to our farm, the guard would never have bothered us!"

Big Mac sighed heavily. His sister was so headstrong at times.

"Sis, that bit o' logic just don't add up at all. It makes no sense to blame folk down the chain, pretendin' that they know jus' how things are goin' to happen. Nah, in the grand scheme of things only Ah can be responsible for what happened to me. Ah chose to protect the princess. Ah suppose Ah could've let the guard take her, but I thought that wrong and downright cowardly. So Ah fought 'em and they fought back, jus' as they should."

"Big brother," Applejack replied with another sniffle, "ya don't need to be noble, ya don't need to protect her, why can't ya see that?"

Thinking her own question over for a bit, Applejack's eyes lit up.

"She charmed ya with her pretty little face, didn't she?" she accused "That's it, it's gotta, she enchanted you stupid!"

Big Mac shook his head in disappointment but kept his silence. However, a conflicted look appeared in his eyes which Applejack immediately picked up on.

"Ah ha! Ah'm right, Ah knew it! Her black magic done ensnare mah brother hook , line, and sinker!"

"That ain't it all, AJ" Big Mac responded, "There ya are jumpin' to conclusions without even lettin' me get a word in. How'd you like it if a friend did that to you?"

Applejack blushed at her brother's question and held her tongue as she waited for Big Mac to tell her what just then was on his mind. After a few minutes of silent contemplation passed, the red stallion at last spoke.

"Ah guess there ain't no point tryin' to keep this from ya. Yer a grown mare, an' you should know the truth."

Applejack was worried to hear her brother's words. He had a secret she didn't know? They shared darn well near everything with one another.

"About what?"

"About pa."

A brief silence descended upon the room before Big Mac continued.

"What Ah told ya 'bout him dyin' in a farm accident is true, but Ah never told ya the whole story 'bout that day."

The memory of the incident clearly pained the stout pony, but his voice remained strong and firm

"You were a real young filly at the time. I was out with pa just gettin' in the swing of harvestin' the crop. Back then, the farm made enough bits to afford several farm hooves to help us with the orchard and some of 'em would bring their colts along to do odd jobs 'round the place for an extra few bits. Anyway, one of them, Muddy Banks, was jus' 'bout my age an' we'd usually pal about the farm. But that day I was workin' with pa an' Muddy was a might hurt that I was too busy to play with him. But young colts are a spiteful lil' bunch, an' instead of workin' himself he spent the whole day followin' me 'round and tauntin' me whenever pa wasn't lookin'. Now Ah bore the brunt of his insults pretty well, but 'bout midday he started pokin' fun at me by sayin' that I was weak an' would never make my pa proud. Now, I wanted nothin' more in the world than pa's approval an' love so I really wanted to show Muddy that he was chalk full of apples."

Big Mac paused and gave a deep sigh before he continued his story.

"As I kept on buckin' I finally found an opportunity to shut Muddy up. Now Ah was about to harvest the apples from a younger tree when I heard Muddy shout that he'd bet his day wages that I couldn't buck all the apples in one kick. Ah was happy to accept his challenge, but Ah wanted to make sure pa would see me do it so I called out to him. As Ah saw him approachin', Ah kicked that tree with all the might I could muster."

Once again, Big Mac closed his eyes and collected himself. It was obvious to Applejack that her brother was accustomed to swallowing the pain he felt.

"Sure as hay, all them apples came falling outta the tree. What Ah didn't know at the time was that the roots did not run very deep, and not seconds after Ah kicked it, Ah heard the tree crack. Before Ah could do anythin', it crashed to the ground. Ah rushed to see the mess Ah made only to find Muddy half scared to death. Ah looked 'round but, Ah didn't see Pa anywhere. Fear grabbed hold of me. Ah turned to the felled tree and couldn't believe mah eyes."

Another pained sigh escaped his lips.

"Pa had been crushed under the tree after jus' managin' to push Muddy outta the way" he said, his deep voice now reflecting a trace of anguish, "Ah killed him."

Applejack shook her head in disbelief.

"No, no, Big Mac. It was an accident, you didn't want it to happen, it jus' did."

"Let me finish, AJ." Big Mac replied, "There's far more to it. Pa's death devastated Ma, an' you know she fell into depression an' refused to eat anythin' or care for Applebloom. It got so bad Granny Smith had to come an' take care of her and our baby sister. But ma just got worse. Every day she sat in her room wallowin' in her grief an' slowly wastin' away. Eventually ma had her wish and reunited with pa, but she left behind a family and a farm that was tearin' at its seams. No more could Sweet Apple Acres afford laborers to keep the orchard goin' an' we had to sell a good chunk of it to just meet ends meet. Not too long after, you left home to live with Uncle and Aunt Orange in Manehatten 'cause you 'grew tired of farm life'. But Ah know deep down ya jus' wanted to escape, 'cause Ah felt the same way."

A tear rolled down Applejack's face, her brother understood her better than anypony. At the time she wanted nothing to do with the orchard, she just wanted to forget her past and be reborn into the society and culture of the big city. But fate wouldn't allow her to, it pressed her to face it dead on and return home to revive the farm. Her cutie mark had made that infinitely clear to her.

"All this time, hardly a day past when Ah didn't torment mahself with questions and vain attempts to put the blame on somepony. But everythin' bad that happened to us had hinged on mah decision to kick the tree."

Big Mac paused again, trying to keep a grip on his emotions.

"Ah tried to blame Muddy. Not only did he holler and push me to do it, he didn't move away. He made pa have to rescue him…but still, Ah was the one who kicked the tree. Then Ah blamed pa. Why'd he have to save Muddy? Why didn't he jus' let it happen? I knew pa was brave and a hero, but did he think of us when he sacrificed himself? But in the end Ah was the one who kicked the tree."

Big Mac took in a breath of air and exhaled peacefully.

"Ah spent days an' days listin' everypony who was at fault for pa's death , but I got nowhere closer to forgivin' mahself for mah own role. However, the day you came home from Manehatten filled mah heart with such joy for the future that it made me rethink the past. Soon after Ah came to realize two things, sis. First, when Ah blamed others, Ah took comfort in the idea that somepony was in control, that mah pa didn't die 'cause of a random act of fate. But that wasn't fair to anypony, I had to accept that there were a whole bunch of factors that led up to his death that no one pony was in control of. The second thing Ah learned was that all we can do as individuals is to respond to a bad situation the best we can and do what we think good an' right. Jus' like what pa did for lil' Muddy, not like what ma did to us."

The truth of her father's fate had Applejack sputtering with tears. She had never inquired deeply into the past as it was a very painful subject for her, but Big Mac's part in pa's death did not drive her to hate her brother. No, it drove her to love him more. Despite all the confusion and hate he suffered daily, Big Mac had stayed strong for the family and sacrificed so much so that his sisters could enjoy an education and a happy home life that he himself only briefly had.

"So you see Applejack," Big Mac continued, "Ah did what Ah did fer Princess Luna 'cause it was mah choice, it's what pa would've done."

Sobbing heavily now, Applejack embraced her older brother.

"Ah'm sorry Big Mac, Ah am, but I still can't trust the princess, not after this. She's a liar, ah know it in mah gut. She's coverin' up somethin', but I jus' don't know what."

"Applejack, listen to me." Big Mac said, wiping the tears from her face, "Perhaps yer right, she might be lyin' 'bout somethin'. But AJ, ya gotta understand that not all lies are born from evil. Likewise, honesty is good and all, but it can cause some pretty bad things too. Let's just think back, Ah wasn't too honest about pa with you. I knew that if Ah told you when you were a filly that you'd only hate me for it, for ruinin' our home."

Applejack sniveled, she knew her brother was probably right. She had wanted to blame somepony for their ills too, but she just couldn't grasp what was all going around her at the time. She was just a filly then after all.

"That lie was born from mah love fer you, Applejack. Ah didn't want to burden you with the past, Ah only wanted you to be mah hope for the future."

Applejack smiled through her tears and held her brother's hoof tighter.

"But as I said AJ, honesty can hurt just as much as an evil lie. Think of the informant that told the guard where Luna was, don't ya think that it would have been better for everypony if she had simply lied?"

A look of horror passed over Applejack's face. Big Mac was right, she had unwittingly triggered the chain of events that led to the brutalizing of her brother.

"Ah'm sorry Big Mac!" Applejack cried, "Ah did it! Ah got tricked into tellin' the guard who arrested me, I didn't mean it to happen! But I couldn't straight up lie to a soldier…it was jus' too hard!"

"Shhhh, Applejack, it's okay." Big Mac said, nuzzling her lovingly, "It was a risky move to send ya into town. But please, lil' sis, don't blame yourself. By that logic, it was Miss. Sparkle that should take the blame, but as Ah said, that'd be just unfair."

Ceasing his affections for the moment, Big Mac stared deeply into his sister's eyes.

"AJ, there's no way fer us to understand exactly Princess Luna's motives or goals. She's a goddess after all, so much depends on her. She's powerful beyond our knowin', so she has to be careful with what she says, one word could mean the difference between life and death. All we can do is have faith in her, jus' as we have faith in our friends. When it all comes down to it, that's all we've got."

Straightening up in his bed, he continued.

"Now, you know what ya need to do AJ. Go, go an' help your friends like ya should've when Miss. Rarity asked ya. They need you."

"But Big Mac," Applejack replied with concern and doubt in her words "Ah can't leave you an' Applebloom alone. Ah have a responsibility to y'all too!"

Big Mac gave his sister his usual gentle smile and stirred in his bed. Using all the strength he could gather, the giant red pony arose from his bed and slowly limped to the cowboy hat Applejack had tossed on the floor. Taking it into his mouth, he turned to his surprised sister and crowned her with it.

"Ah'm fine Applejack, I can watch over Applebloom. Now go to yer friends an' wear pa's hat proudly. Think of his sacrifice an' remember that even though you might find yerself trapped in a mess of events outside your control, you have the final say in how you react to it all."

Applejack smiled warmly at her brother and gave him a big hug.

"…one more thing AJ."

"Yeah, big brother?"

"Looks like you'll be finishin' up harvest by yerself again this year!"

Both siblings erupted into joyful laughter.

"Ahh you lazy rascal!" Applejack responded jokingly, "Now how'd ya get hurt again? Did ya piss off the Royal Guard last year too?"

"Eh-yup! But it darn well took fifty of 'em to take me down then, AJ. Ah think Ah'm gettin' too old for brawlin'!"

"Ah, hush! Yer filled with rotten apples Big Mac!"

"Ha! Anypony ever tell ya how honest ya are AJ?"

As the two continued teasing one another, they were unaware that they were being watched from the doorway by Rainbow Dash.

Yes, as soon as she had whipped up a host of storm clouds to fight the wildfires of Everfree, Rarity, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie had found the weather officer. They had told her that Applejack was being her usual stubborn self and was refusing to help Twilight and Luna. Rainbow was always ready to accept a mission, especially if it came with the challenge of butting heads with her favorite sparring partner. However, as she reached Fluttershy's hut and found the two siblings dealing with some hardcore issues, Rainbow Dash's zeal deflated rapidly. This was especially true when she caught a good glimpse of Big Mac when he got up from his bed. Far more than that wordy dragon, his mangled and broken body at last drove home the seriousness of Twilight and Luna's predicament. As the two laughed and cried, Rainbow Dash was deeply moved herself, and suddenly even the too cool for school pegasus was having a hard time keeping a check on her own tears. When at last it seemed appropriate, Rainbow Dash entered the room.

"Uh, hey Applejack, Big Mac. How are you guys doin' now?"

"Rainbow!" Applejack shouted in surprise, "How'd ya know I was here?"

"A few birdies told me."

"Did they also tell ya to collect mah sorry selfish hide?"

"Uh, yeah. Pretty much, I mean if it's cool with you. Twilight and Luna could really use your help, I mean, the last I saw them Luna was fighting a dragon."

"A dragon! Well what're ya waitin' for? C'mon, we just sent a bunch of our friends into a dragon's nest without a good bit of muscle to back 'em up! Let's go!"

"Uh, sure AJ, but what about Big Mac?" Rainbow Dash asked, a bit thrown off by the sudden change of emotional pace in the room.

"That big ol'lug? He'll be fine, won't cha' big bro?"

"Eh-yup!"

"You heard the stallion, now lead the way Rainbow!"

Her friend's spirited call to action was not lost on Rainbow Dash. Immediately the rainbow mare was invigorated by her uplifting words. Smirking, Rainbow's excitement was clear.

"You got it, chief! Hey, you wouldn't mind a race, would ya?"

/

Hastily the three mares ran through the darkness of Everfree. The fierce downpour that was pounding them had done much in extinguishing the blaze that had threatened to consume the forest, but it also made the path before them extremely muddy, much to Rarity's chagrin. Nonetheless, they pressed onward undeterred by rain, fire, or the dreaded muck. Rainbow Dash had assured them that Twilight and Luna were not too far deep into the forest and that the dragon the goddess was fighting was a "nerd" that would be no problem to defeat.

"Hey!" Pinkie exclaimed, "I think I see Twilight…and no dragon!"

"Really?" Rarity asked, "Thank Celestia, hopefully we can leave this dirty mud pit quickly then!"

"Hmm, oh wait ! I see Luna's outline now too!" Pinkie chirped "She's with Twilight, and still no dragon!"

As the three approached Twilight and Luna, they could tell not all was well. The princess was leaning against Twilight in a slump, and the dying embers revealed that she was also bleeding.

"My heavens!" gasped Rarity, "How could the princess be in such a horrible state?"

No sooner did she say those words, Luna hit the ground.

Seeing this, Fluttershy sprang forth ahead of her friends to check to see what injuries Luna had received in her battle.

"Fluttershy, thank goodness you're here!" Twilight greeted her friend, "Can you tell what's wrong with her? It can't be from her cuts, right?"

Extremely worried, Fluttershy at first said nothing to Twilight but instead analyzed her patient, checking for any signs for serious injury.

"Was the princess exposed to fire for long periods of time?" Fluttershy asked, still examining Luna closely. Thankfully for her efforts, the embers provided just enough light.

"Yes, she was exposed to a lot of fire for a very long time." Twilight confirmed.

Fluttershy quickly arose and faced Twilight with a grim look.

"The princess is suffering a combination of heat exhaustion and shock. Her body's homeostasis is confused right now, she needs to get to shelter and be warmed up to a proper temperature."

Rarity and Pinkie Pie now present, Twilight was forced to make a decision she had wanted to avoid.

"Help Luna on to my back Rarity, we're going to have to go to Zecora's."

/


	8. Chapter 8

Frigid Winds and Burning Hearts

Part 8

Wrought from white stone and arrayed with all the precious metals and gems under the earth, Canterlot Castle jutted precariously from the mountainside in utter defiance to natural law. For two millennia the enchanted foundations grounded the edifice firmly in place, weathering the unforgiving elements, the onslaught of war, and the steady passage of time. Long the bastion of Princess Celestia, goddess of the sun and sovereign queen of Equestria, it was the indisputable architectural marvel of the world, attracting foreigners from all the corners of the globe to simply bask in the light of its majesty. Canterlot's stunning beauty was only outmatched by its impressive functionality, not only in terms of defensive capability but also in the organization of the city that grew in its shadow. Several lairs spiraled down from the citadel forming the orderly outlay of the capital from which sprawled forth both the ancient and the modern; smithies, open markets, and beer halls stood alongside night clubs, fashion outlets, and hotdog stands. This mixture of old and new blended together to create a dynamic, cosmopolitan culture famous the world over for its art, academics, music, food, and athletics. Like all urban areas, the city had its slums and cramped housing projects, but even they shone like pearls in the light. Yes, Canterlot, the eternal city on the mountain, was the shining diamond in Celestia's imperial crown; an inescapable manifestation of her right to rule. All the nations of the world revolved around its influence, just as the earth around her sun.

Now its streets were alight with flame and filled with the sounds of shouting rioters and the rustle of marching armor.

For hours, the Equestrian Armed Forces had patrolled Canterlot dispatching looters and forcing citizens to accept the curfew put into effect by their commander, General Hawkeyes. Riot control had been messy and casualties were had, but the army was better prepared for the crisis than it had the year before. However, Canterlot was large and the army had been spread thin across Equestria. It was thus a ceaseless and tireless effort to maintain order among the city's population of doomsayers, opportunists, and the majority just caught up in the wave of hysteria.

From the high towers of the castle, Braveheart listened on to the turmoil engulfing the city below him, but he could not bear to look out the barred window of his cell. No, instead he continued to hang his head in dishonor and defeat. He had failed his mission, his pegasi, and himself.

But above all, he had failed her royal highness, Princess Celestia, his sole commander and dearest friend.

Braveheart flinched at the thought. Twice he had Nightmare Moon in his grasp and both times he had allowed his arrogance to get in the way of apprehending her. Their first encounter was forgivable; Braveheart had little idea what exactly to expect from either the goddess or the unexpected traitor, Twilight Sparkle. The second plan was at first orchestrated perfectly, but came apart at the hooves of a monstrously powerful country yokel. At the thought of the red behemoth, Braveheart growled and spat on the cold cobblestone beneath him. With minimal provocation, he had assaulted Braveheart's soldiers and sent them flying across the room, possibly to their death. The anger that Braveheart now felt was not directed towards his nemesis, but at his own decision to risk his pegasis' safety just so the earth pony could have the chance to back off. It was a grave mistake; the bastard didn't know when to quit. Braveheart should have shot the hick at the first sign of aggression and extracted Nightmare Moon before she had time to come to her senses and humiliate him.

He shook his head furiously and growled at her cruelty. Braveheart had been ready for death, even if it meant he could not complete his mission. But he never asked from his pegasi of something he would not sacrifice himself. In that moment when he was pinned and at the Nightmare's mercy, Braveheart was certain that several of the guard had already respected and heeded his call. Now too was his turn to die honorably in the service to both Celestia and the state.

But it was not so. Instead he found himself in a dark, musty strip joint masquerading as a dance club in Canterlot's notorious red light district. His rage boiled at the cruel lot cast his way. The moon demon did not even have enough respect to end his life; she instead decided it better to destroy it.

Just the thought drove him to an unbridled rage that melted any sense of rationality into pure dissonance. In his mind, the only way he could restore even a shred of his former honor was to purge this cancerous sore from the commonwealth. Rarely did Braveheart question Celestia's wisdom, but as he smashed chairs and barked at the staff, he could not help but wonder why the goddess would permit even this small stain of gross hedonism to taint her holy seat on earth.

When the armed forces arrived, they were at first at loss as to what to do with the famed captain. In the end, they agreed he was creating an unjustifiable disturbance and had him restrained and sent to the castle to await an audience with General Hawkeyes.

And so he sat for seven hours reflecting on his weaknesses. How could this happen to him? He was Celestia's greatest soldier, a modern legend among those in the military. Now he was stripped of his armor, and, perhaps soon, his rank. At the thought, Braveheart's mind quickly turned back to his pegasi. How would they fair without him? Who was in command? Lightning Strike would normally be the best choice; the pegasus had a natural ability to articulate a plan well and carry it through, but Braveheart knew that the lieutenant was compromised by his relationship with Twilight Sparkle. When he had woken Lightning from his cursed slumber and told him of the unicorn's role in the goddess' escape, his composure cracked a bit. Of course, the guard was trained to be subtle with their emotional expression, but Captain Braveheart was no idiot. Twenty years of command had taught him how to pick up on his pegasis' feelings, particularly shock, disbelief, fear and pain. Lightning exhibited all four in his brief lapse. He was clearly unfit to command.

Braveheart could only hope that Nightshade had stepped in to take the job, but even if that were the case, he had his doubts. The former Wonderbolt performer was indeed an excellent soldier, but not an extraordinary leader. That only left one exceptional candidate. It was an unlikely prospect, but Storm Cloud was perhaps the best pegasus for the job. She was only a three year veteran of the force, but she had skyrocketed through the ranks through incredible initiative and results, much like himself. The grey mare was also the captain's private confidant, she understood him better than any soldier on the guard. He counted on her to call him out at times, even if he found some of her criticisms unsavory. He knew she had the mind, the body, and the guts to pursue Nightmare Moon to the far edges of the globe. Unfortunately, she wasn't yet a lieutenant, meaning that their sensitive mission was in great danger of falling apart.

As he pondered over the options available to his pegasi, he heard the creak of his cell opening.

"…Captain, sir, as you may know you've been court marshaled."

"Heh," Braveheart dismissively huffed, "doesn't old Hawkeyes have anything better to do right now than to hound me?"

"No sir, he's quite occupied right now." The pegasus said firmly, looking Braveheart in the eyes, "He sends only his severe disappointment and hopes that you receive any punishment you deserve."

Captain Braveheart growled at the soldier's words. Hawkeyes was the supreme commander of the Equestrian Armed Forces, which was a separate institution from the Royal Guard and served as the bulk of the military. Usually the elite corps answered only to Celestia, but in her absence they were incorporated into the EAF and subject to its command structure. General Hawkeyes had always been skeptical of the amount of autonomy Braveheart was permitted and had tried to reign in the captain when the Royal Guard was under his control. Conversely, Braveheart was proud of the trust Celestia put in him and resented being placed beneath Hawkeyes when they were typically equals. Despite this minor conflict, the two commanders shared a healthy rivalry based on mutual respect and good personal relations. Due in part to this and a conviction that his pegasi would vindicate him, Braveheart didn't expect the general to dismiss him. Though the old pegasus was a strict follower of code and regulation, Braveheart knew that the general had a pragmatic streak when faced with a crisis; to purge Celestia's best soldier would hardly help his efforts to restore order. But since he wasn't overseeing the trial, Braveheart didn't know what just to expect.

"Well then private, who in their right mind has the time to try me right now? The city is burning for Celestia's sake!"

"I'm sorry captain, but I don't know. I'm just following orders. If you could just follow me…"

"Yeah, yeah, I heard ya kid. What's your name anyway; you seem like a good enough recruit. Firm, unintimidated, you're made of good stuff. Most of these prissy AFs are damn near shakin' in their boots when they just look at me."

"Uh, it's Blizzard Freeze, sir." The private responded, making sure not to show how thrilled he was to receive a compliment from the Captain of the Royal Guard.

"Tell you what, kid. If I make it out of this with my head, I'd like to see you fly with my pegasi. I have a spot I've been meanin' to fill for awhile, and you might just be it."

"Thank you, sir, that would be an honor!"

"Heh, don't thank me. I know a good soldier when I see one." Braveheart chuckled, taking comfort from the great respect the young soldier had for him despite his tarnished name. Interacting with his comrades-in-arms, no matter their rank, generally put the volatile captain in a good mood even in the darkest times.

"Now I'd love to chat some more, but I've got my day in court. Mind leading on?"

The young, light blue pegasus escorted the captain down the winding stairs of the tower into one of the castle's many hallways. In normal times, it was a quiet passage way from the foyer to the library, but now it was overrun with the shuffling of soldiers, bureaucrats and ministers.

As the two walked calmly irrespective of the sea of haste surrounding them, Blizzard still couldn't believe his luck: Braveheart, the very sword of the sun goddess and the hero of a hundred battles thought he had what it took to be an elite! It was his greatest dream to join the Royal Guard, so it was extremely disappointing when he was appointed to the armed forces after military school. Now was his chance!

"Just lock down those emotions, follow through with my orders, and remain constantly alert." Blizzard thought, "He'll pick up on it no doubt…"

"Hey, hey, Freeze! Hold your butt right there!" an enthusiastic voice shouted from behind him, "That is you under all that armor? Yeah that's definitely you."

Blizzard shook his head in defeat. He was so close to delivering the captain and securing that try-out, but she had to come and ruin it all…

His marefriend, Ruby Blaze. Why of all times did she decide to pop up at Canterlot Castle?

The energetic red mare jumped in front of him and looked him in the eyes with both excitement and nervous anxiety. She only got that look in two situations: a moment of passionate intimacy or when she wanted to talk about politics.

Yes, the love of his life was a hardcore, card carrying member of the Labor Party of Equestria. She worked tirelessly as an aide to some MP, (a thankless and shrewd earth pony) over at his office not too far from parliament. Her high spirited democratic idealism contrasted with his military brand down-to-earth realism, and the two had fun poking fun of their respective institutions. But today was not a day for such light-hearted exchanges, and the private could see she was dead serious. But still, he had a job to do…

"Ruby, really, I gotta take Cap…"

"Oh no, Blizzard. You have to listen to me, this is really, really bad." Ruby interrupted, her voice quivering, "The coalition has fallen apart! The government is in shambles!"

Seeing her distressed troubled Blizzard, but he had his own duties to attend to.

"Whoa, slow down there dear. Just give me a few minutes, I need to take Captain Braveheart here to his court marshal…"

At the mention of the guard's name, Ruby turned to the brown pegasus.

"_The_ Captain Braveheart is facing charges?" Ruby said, quite surprised "At least some good is coming out of this nightmare. His record of abuses has been ignored for too long."

"Ruby, _shut up_…" Blizzard whispered through gritted teeth, embarrassed beyond belief at his marefriend's boldness.

"No private, let her talk." The surprisingly quiet captain at last spoke up in a gruff voice, "I wanna hear how those stooges in the government fucked themselves over."

Ruby grimaced at the captain's harsh words. She had a natural revulsion to Braveheart, but she was never the one to turn down a request to discuss politics.

"Well, even a brute like you can understand, I guess." She sneered "If you must know, the coalition itself was a miracle, the Pony's Popular Front, the LPE, the Greens, and the Celestian Democrats were all in it. But when this crisis broke out, the government tore itself apart. The Defense minister, a member of the CD, drafted a plan filled with a heavy handed militarism you would respect, captain, that we on the left found unacceptable. Without a swift response, parliament was in an uproar and passed a near unanimous vote of no confidence. I don't even think a care-taker will be of any help now..."

"Ha! So much for that little rabble of mouthy do-nothings!" Braveheart jeered, "I know more than you think, lass. Princess Celestia was the only thing keeping that dead horse running, you're a fool to think miracles happen on their own."

"Huh, I guess you really can't get it." Ruby replied, shaking her head whilst smiling, "What, didn't they teach government at the military academy? Celestia may be a goddess, but she hasn't had an ounce of real political power for two centuries. She's just the head of state and does little but goodwill missions and throw banquets."

Braveheart couldn't contain his laughter.

"Haha! Kid, you've gotta be pulling my feathers! You honestly think a textbook can teach you how shit works around here? Let me tell you something about politics: ponies don't know squat about them until they sit down at Celestia's bargaining table. Trust me, I've seen more political action standing guard than you ever will with your campaigns and slogan shouting."

Ruby glared at the captain, not quite sure to make of his words. He had to be mistaken, Celestia would never intrude into politics…then again there was no written accord saying she wouldn't. The red unicorn had paid little attention to the court life of Canterlot Castle, thinking that it was just a vestige of the past clinging on to the back of the present to feed off the future. Perhaps it played a greater role in government than she thought.

"No," she thought, "the captain's militaristic bent towards authoritarianism and hierarchy makes him think Celestia is at the top of the ladder. He's hopelessly ignorant, he could never dream of understanding democracy; the complexity would blow a fuse in his little mind."

Ruby smiled as she came to her answer. All those years at university weren't for nothing.

"Think what you will, _captain_, if I can call you that for much longer." Ruby said, turning away from the two pegasi, "Perhaps when Celestia returns to her throne she can have the power to keep you from your destructive moral crusade through the red lights district. Take him away, Blizzard, let him face justice."

Braveheart winced in shame and dishonor at the unicorn's departing remark, not due to its content (he was far from sorry for wrecking the place) but how it served as a reminder of Nightmare Moon's victory over him. He wanted to shout Ruby down, but he was in no place of authority to do so. Without his armor he felt naked, weak, and awkward like a dragon without its teeth or treasure. Even his cutie mark, one he had diligently hid was now exposed. His mark, a burning, anatomically correct heart, was now on view for everypony to see. The captain didn't like it; he didn't want to show who he really was to the world.

Seeing Braveheart clearly perturbed, Blizzard Freeze went into damage control.

"Captain, I'm sorry my personal life leaked in there. She's usually really good at respecting my duties to the state, honest, today has just thrown everything out of place, you know?"

"…Yeah, kid, I know," Braveheart responded solemnly, "but don't sweat it. Mares are an aggressive bunch when you light a fire underneath 'em, and their apt at throwing you into it afterwards. Your Ruby is a fighter, that's for certain. Good luck keeping up with her kid, you'll need it. Now c'mon, whoever has the time to judge me must be growing bored to death, the slacker."

As the two approached the chamber, Braveheart's familiarity prompted him to burst through the doors without the escort of the private. The room he entered was fairly small and decorated only by several of the nation's banners. Before him sat several ponies behind a long oak bench, all of whom he had never met, save one. As soon as he caught sight of the unicorn chairing the commission, Braveheart snarled in disgust and contempt. The welcome he received did little to change his expression.

"Well, well, what do we have here? A lost commoner? I dare say, I was certain I was judging the trial of the Captain of the Royal Guard, not listening in on some lowly beggar's petition for the scraps from my table."

Sitting in a regal chair at the head of the commission's table was Prince Blueblood. The noble was dressed in a naval uniform that was adorned with several hundred medals and badges, most of which Braveheart had never even seen before on any officer. If the captain wasn't so mad, he'd be laughing at how awkwardly decorated the prince looked, but he had much more pressing things on the mind.

"The hell let you out of your cage, _your highness_? I threw your sorry stupid ass in the slammer myself!"

"Hmph! You need not remind me, your assault left my body quite bruised." Blueblood replied, "But your efforts to incarcerate royalty were for naught, especially since I, Prince Blueblood, so valiantly smote the horrid Nightmare Moon in defense of dear Aunt Celestia! You see, I'm far more the hero than you are, pervert."

Braveheart lunged forward towards the prince, but Blizzard Freeze held him back.

"You fucking son of a bitch, you probably smacked the evil back into her! But hell, after sitting next to you for ten minutes, I'd probably want to destroy the world too!"

"Hm, normally your lazy, peasant tongue would get the better of me." Blueblood responded snidely, "After all, so few have the gall to treat me as you do, Braveheart, even Celestia's petty bourgeois pupil knows to keep her distance. However, seeing you squirm helplessly before me is such a treat that I don't mind your coarse words the slightest. Indeed, it will make it that much more satisfying when I strip you of your rank and banish you from Canterlot! How is that for an assignment, captain?"

Braveheart's face burned as he shouted his response.

"You have no authority," the captain sneered, "your titles mean nothing to the armed forces, you're only a gullible tool!"

"Oh, but captain, I'm the admiral of my own fleet. Why, I'm more a part of the EAF than you are."

"The bloody hell you are!" Braveheart shot back, "Your rank is only another bloated, useless honor you throw around whenever you want something, you snobby little brat!"

At his remark, Blueblood laughed.

"Of course, captain. Pulling strings is hardly a problem for those of royal blood, especially now with Aunt Celestia missing. You know the peasant expression, Braveheart, 'when life gives you…something or another…you, uh, take advantage of it'. Well it goes along like that, I can't be bothered with the details of their little proverbs."

"Don't think for a second you have the power to get rid of me!" Braveheart growled, "As soon as Celestia returns to her throne, I'll be back! I'm her best soldier, she'd never put up with your trumped up charges!"

Once again, Prince Blueblood's haughty laughter filled the chamber.

"Ha! Surely you jest! You think Celestia will take you back under her wing after you failed your mission to rescue her from Nightmare Moon and soiled your name with irreparable dishonor? No, you military pegasi are easily replaced. You're a fool to think you're anything special."

The force of Blueblood's words struck Braveheart at his core. The captain had always been unquestionably loyal to Celestia, would she so easily forsake him?

"No you stinkin' bastard, that's not true…" Braveheart growled, but gone was his usual bite, "I gave my life to her service and in return she has been my greatest friend and support…she has always been there when I needed it most."

The captain's feeble words only served to make Blueblood laugh louder.

"My captain, still such the dirty little orphan! What, I suppose you think of Celestia as mommy dearest, don't you? How quaint!"

"Shut up!"

"What captain, does the truth pain you? Then consider this: no matter how hard you toil, no matter how many battles you've won, and no matter how much power is at your disposal, you will always be that same worthless, thieving street scum from your past!"

After giving pause, the prince continued to gloat over the troubled captain.

"When I heard that you had been arrested outside of a whorehouse, I wasn't surprised at all. The urchin was simply returning to his filthy roots, nothing more."

"No," the captain weakly growled, "I would burn that whole sinful district to the ground if I could."

"Ha, it's likely you'd have Celestia's blessing, she's been angling to ban such decadent clubs again, politics and all that messy what not. But don't think yourself too noble, Braveheart, clearing up an item on auntie's agenda is hardly enough to redeem you. Now before I send you trotting off to whatever unhappy sad lot you've been dealt, tell me something captain."

"…"

"Did you enjoy your little peepshow at all? I hope it was worth deserting your post so disgracefully."

"That's bloody untrue, I would never desert and you know it!" Braveheart shouted, Blueblood's words stoking the fading embers of his pride and rage, "After Nightmare Moon defeated me, the witch used her magic to send me to that seedy sin pit. A report must've been filed, my pegasi would never slack off!"

With a knowing gleam in his eye, the noble responded coldly.

"I have seen no such document. Your story sounds both implausible and fantastical."

Blueblood's lying words sent Braveheart over the deep end, unleashing a powerful frenzy of curses from the captain's mouth.

"You inbred, degenerate punk! You pompous little piece of shit! You're nothing more than a hedonistic parasite on Celestia's back! Your whole life is a fucking sad excuse with no meaning other than being a major pain in everyponys' ass! I hope that burn on your face never heals, so every mare will know how fucking hideous and demented you really are!"

Blueblood simply listened and smiled.

"Are you done with your little tantrum, Braveheart?"

With beads of sweat pouring down the side of his face and breathing heavily, the captain couldn't think of anything more to say. There was nothing he could do to hurt Blueblood or save himself.

"Ha! The legendary Braveheart has finally run out of words, truly an event worthy of commemoration. It's about time the knave learned to shut his mouth and listen to his better."

Arising from his chair, Blueblood walked over to the captain and began circling him.

"Oh I've waited for this day," the prince spoke with venom on his tongue, "There's perhaps one thing I despise more than being talked down to by some illegitimate son of a whore. It's those ponies who champion that bastard as a hero, the "self-made" pony. Bah! It's nothing more than luck that let society's refuse become Captain of Celestia's Royal Guard."

Blueblood stopped and stared into Braveheart's eyes. The two glared at one another, neither backing down one bit.

"For years you've lorded over Canterlot Castle, belittling me at every passing chance, thinking that your hardships had given you the right to say as you pleased. But I put up with it, knowing full well your power was a false one. As soon as you were stripped of your rank, you'd be nothing more than the slimy rat you've always been. I, on the other hoof, will always be regal, majestic and influential. Celestia's holy blood flows through my veins, her strength and authority are at my disposal no matter what evil winds may blow my way! No amount of work or magic can ever change that. Do you understand the difference between us now, Braveheart? I'm the wielder of an infinite, undying power. You are nothing but an insecure worm doomed to a wretched existence!"

Defeated at last, Braveheart sighed heavily and broke eye contact with the prince. He had lost this battle of wills, but before he could wallow in shame, a familiar voice graced his ears.

"I'd have to disagree with you there, your highness. He's more along the lines of being the greatest captain to ever lead the Royal Guard, destined to live forever in song and legend!"

Turning around, the captain was overjoyed to see Sergeant Storm Cloud standing in the chamber doorway.

"Hmph, at best he'll get a footnote in my biography." quipped Blueblood, "But you're too late to do anything. With the authority invested in me by Princess Celestia, I, Prince Blueblood, dishonorably strip Braveheart of his rank!"

"That power is not yours."

Braveheart felt hope grip him. Good old Hawkeyes had showed up after all.

Joining Storm Cloud at her side, the large white pegasus trotted into the room. Covered in bronze armor and arrayed with several badges, his eyes burned with a stern anger. At his presence, all the soldiers in the room stood to attention and suddenly all of Blueblood's pride and pretension turned to an obvious nervousness.

"All parties not immediately involved in this case must now leave the room." The general shouted, "That is an order!"

As the soldiers filed out, Braveheart grabbed Blizzard, indicating him to stay. Before them, Hawkeyes gave Blueblood a vicious look.

"Out of good will I released you, and this is how you repay me Blueblood? You take advantage of our family name to intercept reports and stage illegitimate tribunals to discharge an honorable pegasus just because you hold a personal grudge? And at a time like this on top of it!"

"Uncle Hawkeyes, I, uh…"

"Don't you speak when I'm talking, boy!" snapped the annoyed pegasus, "You have shamed us, Blueblood. Being an obnoxious, loudmouthed celebrity wasn't enough to dishonor the noble house of Haysburg, you had to abuse your position and power during Princess Celestia's absence! Did she not privy you to the dark realities of the past when such power grabbing and abuse swelled the heads of the nobility? Their callous greed allowed them to be united under Nightmare Moon, the arch-deceiver herself!"

"But…uncle, this, this was just a little spat…"

"A little spat? So what if you did banish Braveheart because of your 'spat', who would you replace him with? Who would you send to save Celestia and cast down the Nightmare?"

Hearing no answer from the prince, the general continued.

"You self-absorbed brat, I would call you wicked if you were any smarter. I admit, though, you nearly fooled me. But thanks to the sergeant here, I know full well of what occurred in Ponyville. Captain Braveheart nearly took the Nightmare into custody twice within two hours, the second incident proving potentially fatal. It is quite clear to me he is our greatest asset in retrieving the Nightmare and finding Princess Celestia, thus I will redeploy him immediately and grant him whatever power he needs to accomplish his mission."

"But uncle, you can't trust that rouge, he's nothing but a peas—"

"I swear to Celestia, if you say 'peasant' so help me, I will smack you so hard our ancestors will feel it! Now make yourself useful and go home to make your mother a decent meal. Even a little foal can manage that."

Dispirited and thoroughly chastised, Prince Blueblood lowered his head and left the chamber, mumbling only the words "it's not fair" under his breath.

Turning to Braveheart, Hawkeyes addressed the captain calmly.

"I'm sorry for have doubted you Braveheart, but you must understand. You can be unpredictable at times, and I didn't know if this horrid ordeal had made you crack or not."

"What general," Braveheart smiled playfully, "do you think I have issues to sort out?"

"Braveheart, I know nopony more needing of counciling than you." The general chuckled, "But hell, I don't want those quacks playing mind games with Celestia's best, they'd only ruin you."

His pride and honor restored, Braveheart laughed and gave the general a brief hug and a smack across his bronze armor before stepping back and saluting.

"Braveheart, you know well your orders. I must attend to other matters; the recent break down of the government has forced me to declare absolute martial law. I will rule in Celestia's name until you succeed with your objectives, do not fail us. I'm no politician; I can only try to keep the peace."

As the noble general prepared to exit the chamber, he stopped to give his departing words.

"Oh, and Braveheart, you have an excellent soldier in Sgt. Storm there. A bit strange to have a mare in the guard, but I'm sure both of us could use more soldiers like her. She flew through the worst gale in centuries for a good hour to deliver this to me and protect your name."

Pulling out a ragged scroll and passing it to Braveheart, the general left the room, leaving only the two guards and the young soldier.

Opening it up, Braveheart read the petition his pegasi had drafted to have him return to them. The words brought a warm smile to his face. He nearly even shed a tear when he saw the names of his pegasi, even those he thought he had sent to death's door, scrawled at the bottom. Lt. Lightning's large scribbling signature was especially visible, itself covering over several other names. It was clear he was eager to resign from his post as captain.

Turning to the sergeant, the captain spoke softly and sincerely, a rash departure from his typical barking voice.

"Looks like you've saved my ass again Storm, thanks. I thought for a second there I was sunk."

"Captain, I would never abandon you." Storm responded firmly, and yet her words were lined with tenderness, "You're our strength and inspiration, sir; I will gladly follow you to whatever end. All of us would, especially Lightning. He sends this back for you."

Quickly running back into the hall, the blue-eyed mare returned with the captain's red plumed helm and placed it upon his head. Greatly moved, the captain held back his tears. Masking his true sentiments, the captain smirked and joked.

"Storm, did I tell you that I've been workin' really hard to get ya that promotion you've been wantin'? I just need a few more words with Celestia and it's a done deal."

"I think you should be working a bit harder then, sir, right now that's a tall order." The silver-maned sergeant grinned in response, "But you know, you can just give me your job when this is all over and maybe then we can call it equal. What do you say?"

Braveheart laughed heartily at her words.

"Haha! Bring me Nightmare Moon and it's all yours! But back to the matter at hoof. I want a full status report or our current situation. How is Nightshade? I did not see his name on the letter.'

At the captain's order, Storm Cloud frowned, but her composure remained intact.

"Sir, Nightshade has been missing-in-action for hours now. The last we saw of him, he had been flying reconnaissance in the north-west perimeter of Ponyville. The site was also the origin point of the Sonic Rainboom you may have felt. We fear Nightshade may have been involved…but that's not all, sir."

Storm Cloud's words sent a new wave of grief through Braveheart that quashed much of his newfound exuberance. Being who he is, the captain articulated the dread he felt through the best possible channel: anger.

"What more?"

"Sir, we believe the Sonic Rainboom to have diverted our attention from the escape of the prisoners…Twilight's friends. We tried to reach you sooner, but Twilight's dragon refused to send our petition. Not only that, Nightmare Moon reportedly sent the guard tasked with keeping an eye on the prisoners fleeing into the town, causing a destructive panic to break out."

"Who the hell left Pockets in charge of them!" fumed the captain, knowing full well the weak link in the chain.

A look from Storm Cloud, however, reminded the captain to watch his temper. Recovering control of his senses, he continued, "Well, no use pointing hooves. It's time I got shit running smoothly again and finally put the squeeze on this demon. C'mon, sergeant, we've got work to do."

Turning to Blizzard, Braveheart's voice rose once again with professional vigor.

"Private! I have several wounded pegasi and a need for extra horsepower. Think of this as a chance to show me what you're made of. Don't disappoint me soldier!"

Elated, the private saluted and sounded that timeless affirmation of obedience.

"Yes sir!"

"Good," Braveheart barked, "Now fetch my sword and armor. The Nightmare will end tonight, I swear it!"

/

Abysmal darkness.

It was rare for Luna to face the utter blackness of the void, the light of her moon and stars assured that Equestria never suffered such suffocating isolation. One would need to travel far into the depths of the earth to experience the hopeless helplessness that Luna know felt, for even the moon offered the solace of sight.

Suddenly, whirls of bright color erupted from the staunch darkness. The spectrum fused to form a solid white light that danced around Luna at a dizzying speed, making the goddess feel fatigued and confused. She had no care, yet she still felt fear. The goddess could contemplate nothing, her mind was enslaved to the swirling lights before her. She found it difficult to focus as the multitude of swirling light joined as one and rapidly approached, enveloping her in a pale curtain. Within that moment, the whole of her life was revealed to her, several millennia flashed before her in mere seconds. In doing so, memories awoke that had been buried beneath both burning hatred and blind love for both Celestia and herself. But as she felt her fear melt into serenity, the light dissipated and Luna felt herself being thrust backwards through the void.

A heavy breath of fresh air brought Luna back from the brink, but her senses remained frayed. Still unable to think clearly, her vision was blurred and disoriented. Wildly her eyes dashed to and fro across the room she now found herself in only to be greeted by terrifying, grinning faces. Luna gasped in fear and confusion, unsure whether her surreal spectacle had truly come to an end or not. Quickly closing her eyes in an effort to collect herself, she slowly reopened them to survey her surroundings with a sound state of mind. It was immediately clear that she was in a small room alit with many candles. The smell of burning incense met her nose and eased her spirits as she looked on at the demons that had haunted her reawakening. She smiled as she realized her fears were simply wooden masks that she discerned to be of Serengeti origin. Luna had once been quite involved in fostering good relations with the many tribes of the region and even struck peace between two warring nations, the Zebra and Gazelle. The vast land lay to the southwest of her former holdings just west of Everfree Forest. It was perhaps one of the few duties she enjoyed as princess, for the vibrant cultures of the many tribes offered beautiful music, exotic dancing, amazing art, and wonderful linguistic diversity that inspired Luna in a way the hollow "cosmopolitan" city of Canterlot could never hope to replicate. The princess of the night found the melting pot of her sister's capital to be very shallow and almost trivial for Celestia was very selective of the elements she actively incorporated into her society. Any hybrid of culture invariably was dominated by characteristics ultimately glorifying Celestia's civilization while downplaying its distinct origins. But, as the sun goddess often told Luna, it was essential to oversee and correct the flow of ideas and technologies emanating from beyond their borders for the sake of their subjects' well being and the stability of her utopia.

Luna had once been cynical concerning her sister's defense of censorship, but her fight with Ajax had shaken many of her most dearly held convictions. The moon goddess still found it difficult to accept that her sister had been so weak and impotent during the war, Celestia was a mighty deity after all. But if for some unlikely reason she truly was powerless, Celestia was perhaps justified in her meticulous drive to influence others and shape minds in her image.

Luna shook her head, the idea was just fundamentally wrong to her. So what if a song with questionable or heretical content is sung? Music does not destroy empires, kings and politicians do. Luna knew this, she had seen several griffon kingdoms collapse on themselves over issues like land, resources, and unchecked tyranny.

Still, Ajax's account of the horrific conflict waged in Luna's name prompted the goddess to realize that war and society were not nearly as straight forward as she had believed. Furthermore, it made her question her own role in the war's inception. Recalling the past, Luna drifted away from the present once again.

/

In the vast hallway of Everfree Castle, Luna sat at the head of her dining table listening weakly to the barrage of words thrown her direction by a visiting minister from the court at Canterlot. Evidently, Celestia was not pleased with the way Luna was running things. If she had approved, she would have appeared at Luna's court herself.

"Your majesty," the fuchsia unicorn spoke in a condescending tone, "her highness Princess Celestia requests you reevaluate and revise your lenient policies on border control and customs. Trade flows from your lands south of Everfree on the Horseshoe Path, yet you have failed to consistently collect tariffs on the goods that are now flooding our market."

"Yes, tell Celestia to excuse my…inconsistency …" droned the moon goddess, "But please inform my sister that her taxes may be too high and unfair to poorer merchants."

"Pardon me Princess Luna, but that's just the problem." The noblemare replied coldly, "We don't want poor merchants marching into Equestria. Their wares are unneeded as we produce a sufficient supply of metallurgical products, food, and raw materials on our own. Our ponies do not need the extra competition to drag down prices to an ungodly level, it would be the death of our economy."

Luna rolled her eyes.

"What we do need involves the rich trades," the minister continued, "spices, precious metals, and the sort. Those are valuable commodities the ponies want. Do you understand, majesty?"

"Yes, yes…it's all quite clear to me now." Luna said, pressing her hoof to her cheek while playing with the crumbs on her plate .

"Good. Another thing…"

Before Luna could be chewed out and talked down again by her sister's envoy, a much welcomed voice intervened on her behalf.

"Midday Breeze, the princess wishes to retire and tend to the night. If you have any more pressing issues to discuss, you may take them up with me."

Leaving her chair, Luna smiled at her advisor, Morning Star. The unicorn's coat was a simple white, but her mane was a wild, fiery mixture of red, orange and yellow. She was as beautiful as the rising dawn and as magnificent as the fading dusk; few ponies could match her intelligence, wit or charisma. Naturally, her talent had attracted the attention and love of Celestia, prompting the sun goddess to take the prodigy as her personal student. However, Morning Star was arrogant and often disregarded Celestia's orders and teachings, opting to do whatever it was in the manner she thought best. After years of struggling with her student, Celestia sent Morning Star to the court at Everfree to help Luna rule and administer her lands effectively. Ever since, Celestia had kept a watchful eye on Everfree to make sure Morning Star did her job and nothing else. Despite this, Luna could not help but admire the unicorn's defiance and self-reliance in the face of Celestia's awesome power and made sure her sister's spies kept their distance from the unicorn.

Luna felt beyond relieved as she soared from the parapets of Everfree Castle into the freedom of the open purple sky before her. As the sun sank into the horizon, Luna released a cascade of stars across the heavens before ushering the moon to take its place among them. For hours the princess of the night flew among her creation, feeling a rush of sublime ecstasy run through her. As she descended back on her balcony, however, the thrill of freedom diminished and she felt a sudden sense of loneliness grip her. Looking eastwards towards Canterlot, Luna wished that her sister could share in her joy and happiness instead of being bogged down with slavish amounts of self-imposed toil.

Sighing, Luna recalled the days before the demon Discord had infected and corrupted the land of Equestria with his tyrannical rule. The sisters had played among the heavens and watched over their beloved ponies from afar, assuring their over-all well-being and easing the difficulty of their primitive, but innocent lives through little interventions, such as Luna's role as the sandmare. After Celestia and Luna had defeated Discord, the sun goddess believed it was necessary to take a more direct role in the affairs of mortals. The evils unleashed by the king of tricksters had left the ponies deeply divided and embittered, thus Luna agreed with Celestia that they needed to guide the ponies back to the light of harmony. Together, they united and organized Equestria, both assuming not the title of "Queen", nor "Empress", but rather "Princess", a calculated decision by Celestia to suggest the impermanent, benevolent, and provisional nature of their rule. At least that's what Luna had thought. One thousand years later, not only were they still in power, Celestia was entrenching herself deeper into the intricate systems of her invention.

Lost in thought, Luna did not hear the hoofsteps approaching her.

"Your majesty."

Wrenched from her reflection, Luna quickly turned to face her advisor.

"Oh, Morning Star. What brings you here, I thought you were giving Midday an audience."

"That was a few hours ago, your highness, and she had little of importance to say. What I do find important is how you are feeling. Not a day passes by that I don't see you bored, miserable, or suffering. Rare is it now to hear your song ring throughout the castle. Tell me what troubles your heart so, princess, that you would cease such joyful verse?"

Luna hesitated for awhile. Normally she would confide in her sister and spare her subjects from her pains, but Celestia did not listen without trying to convince Luna later about the superiority and necessity of her plans and systems.

Morning Star, on the other hoof, was almost always supportive of her efforts to liberalize her lands and often hammered out the details of implementation herself. She had both Celestia's analytical mind and Luna's love for freedom, a combination that would perhaps make the mare both sympathetic of her situation and able to come up with a solution.

At last, Luna responded.

"Very well, but you mustn't tell a soul, especially Celestia, do you swear it?"

"Unless you say otherwise, I would never dream it, princess. Of course I do."

Pausing and looking away up to the heavens, Luna choked back the pain she felt.

"… I…I can't do this anymore. It's all just…just too much for me to handle."

"What is, my lady?"

"Oh Morning Star, everything!" Luna cried, breaking out into tears, "Everything my sister tells me to do, to say, to act! But I just can't! It's too hard, I'm not like her! I can't do what she asks of me. I don't want to fail her, I try and I try but I never get any better! I hate it!"

Parting Luna's mane away from her eyes, Morning Star looked into her eyes sympathetically.

" Princess, may I speak candidly."

"You may." Luna sniffed.

"Don't blame yourself, please. I know how controlling Celestia is; just being in her presence is suffocating. In some ways, her methods are akin to Discord's; the way she fractures her opposition with cheap ideology or petty interests is taken straight from his book. "

Luna gave Morning Star a troubled look.

"You should tread more carefully on your words. I'm not sure I like what you're saying."

"You may not like what you hear, but you agree nonetheless, am I not correct?" the unicorn replied, prompting Luna to turn her head away in shame.

She did.

"Luna," Morning Star said in a softer voice, "constantly your sister forces you to do her bidding. How is that fair? You are equals, the co-rulers of Equestria, yet only her policies are fitting, only her philosophy acceptable. Rarely does she let you have a major say, and when she does it is either a token matter or an act of appeasement."

Luna closed her eyes, wishing what Morning Star was saying wasn't true.

But it was.

"My lady," her advisor continued, "if Celestia's authority were yours, what would you make of it, what would you change?"

It did not take Luna long to answer with a spirited shout.

"I would free Celestia from her prison on this earth, I would return to the days before Discord when we were extolled as free spirits, not princesses! Not slaves!"

Breathing heavily, Luna paused and shook her head.

"But that is a dream…"

"Do not say that princess!" Morning Star excitedly interrupted, "It does not have to be so, can't you see? Through the structures of her own design, Celestia taught us how to govern, how to take care of ourselves. No longer do we need the sun goddess to reign over us, her task is complete."

Luna closed her eyes.

"What you say is treasonous…"

"No your majesty, it is the _truth_. The nobles of Equestria have long been able to keep their lands safe and productive without the direction or interference of Celestia. They can rule this land if we just allow them."

"No!" Luna shouted, "the nobility is unfit for anything save stealing the hay from another pony's mouth! I'd rather remain princess than let those bastards lord over them unchecked!"

Morning Star frowned at the sudden shift of Luna's tone but kept her cool.

"I thought you were a friend of freedom, a champion of liberty, am I mistaken?"

"Freedom?" Luna said taken aback, "do you think there would be any freedom under the rule of the nobility? No, they would only trample upon the weak with their privilege, denying them any of the "freedom" you speak of!"

Morning Star remained undaunted and determined.

"Are you so blind not to understand what I'm doing?" she asked sincerely, "Freedom will not come on the wings of some holy mandate, it must grow and develop on its own. Look to the griffons, they did not receive any divine guidance yet they have advanced steadily towards a better future. Once fratricidal beasts incapable of tribalism let alone a kingdom, there now exists three griffon city-states. One of them is even a republic, a system based on democratic process. It is imperfect and small, yes, but that is where the future lies, princess! Give it more time and it will evolve into something greater, something that will yield a society that embraces true freedom!

Luna cast her eyes to the stone floor, but Morning Star only spoke louder.

"It is not fair, Luna! Why should Celestia deny us the ability to chart our own destiny, why does she not permit us free will? Celestia must see that mortals can be free, that freedom does not mean the confusion and disorder we suffered under Discord! She must let us join the other nations on this earth and know that we will ultimately forge a better future for ourselves, one of equality, freedom and joy! If Celestia truly loved us, she would not have us be her playthings, her slaves!"

Luna winced at the familiar word. Truly, freedom did not exist for either the goddesses or their subjects.

"Why?" Luna questioned, "Do you know of the dangers of what you ask?"

"I am well aware, Luna." The unicorn responded, "But I will not be cowed by the short-term consequences. Though I shall never see it, my hope is for the future, not myself. I must begin this revolution, only I have the vision and ability to ignite it."

"Morning Star, I agree with you, I do." Luna said with somewhat of a subdued excitement, "but I feel that Celestia will never leave her throne."

The fiery maned unicorn's face hardened.

"She will if you leave her."

Luna froze at her words. Never had she thought of abandoning her throne before Celestia did, her older sister was, after all, the politician, the leader, the decider. Did Luna really have the power to sway Celestia simply by abdicating? In her heart, Luna accepted it and believed it with a passion. Her sister loved her, the sun goddess could never tolerate being separated from Luna forever. Even though she was burdened with many duties, Celestia would make brief appearances now and again throughout the week to have a laugh with Luna or talk of light-hearted matters over tea or wine.

Luna's mind, however, harbored doubt and fear.

_"What if she refuses, what do I do? She is still inextricably bound to Equestria, perhaps to it more than she is to me."_

"I see you're conflicted, your majesty," Morning Star said gently, "but I have a plan. It will be a bloodless coup with a peaceful transfer of power. Then we, both goddess and mortal, will be free! Just give me the order and I shall build support among the nobility and set in to motion a brighter future."

Luna shook with fear and nervousness, but in the end she agreed with her advisor and followed her heart.

"You have my consent and blessing, Morning Star. Do what you must."

/

Luna sighed as she played the memory over again in her mind. She was so convinced that what she was doing was right she had taken Morning Star's words at face value. Luna did not delve too deeply into her motives, the unicorn had been convincing with her ideological convictions. But another memory now deeply troubled her. During the coup at Everfree, Morning Star's response to Celestia now rang infinitely clearer in her mind.

_"As always with tyrants, teacher. My moment has come. If you wish to avoid bloodshed, abdicate and leave at once!"_

Had Celestia been right? Had Luna been misled and used by an ambitious mortal to further a hidden agenda she had no knowledge of? Or was she reading to deeply into her advisor's heated words?

While contemplating the list of possibilities, Luna turned to see Fluttershy sitting attentively at her side.

"Oh, you're awake!" Fluttershy happily squeaked, "I'm so glad, you were really hurt in that fight, princess. Dragons can be really vicious, I don't know why my friends don't get that...they treat them like overgrown kittens..."

"Yes, I feel much, well, I feel better now. Thank you Fluttershy."

"Umm, well, I'm not the one you should really thank..."

Upon Fluttershy's admission, Luna heard the door to the small room creak open and saw a zebra emerge.

" I am happy to see you are in such good condition, it is not long now before you can continue your mission."

/


	9. Chapter 9

Frigid Winds and Burning Hearts

Part 9

Pouring down the boughs of the forest, the freezing rain inundated the fertile forest floor, creating a troublesome mire to form underhoof. The leaves of Everfree shivered as the wind passed through the treetops, permitting only a small ray of the moon's light to penetrate the darkness of the wood. Nonetheless, Twilight Sparkle and her friends ran along the forest path undeterred. Numbed by the rain and the wind, Celestia's student pressed forward with only the fading embers of her determination to sustain her drive. Upon her back rested the goddess of the moon, a heavy burden that made her path ever more difficult and demanding. Once again, Equestria's fate was hers to bear, but this time her teacher was no longer there to guide her. The princess would know where to go, what to do, and ultimately remedy the problem, just as always. Though she drew comfort from her friends, Twilight was truly alone in her responsibility to them. She was expected to lead and have a plan, but the unicorn knew in her heart that it was a case of the blind leading the blind. Their entire dilemma was born out of confusion and haste, what hope had she to make the right judgments? Just getting from one point to another posed a thousand troubling questions and possibilities. The best she could do for her friends was to pretend to have a plan, to pretend that she knew the answer to their problems when in all truth she had no idea if the Elements would actually succeed in accomplishing anything save a light show. All Twilight could do was continue to take courage from Celestia's first lesson to her those many years ago.

_Twilight Sparkle, my dear student, the world is indeed vast, wonderful, and full of mystery. But little one, even if you studied every leaf, pebble, and straw, you would eventually turn your gaze to the infinite heavens and realize how little you really know. Never cease in your studies, continue learning as much as you can, but remember that if a solution escapes you, do not fear to follow your heart. In such times, this is all we can do..._

Twilight had followed Celestia's instructions but they yielded only frustration and anxiety. Her distrust of Luna, though lessened, was still ever present. It derived from her knowledge of the past, one that was continuously affirmed by Luna's often irrational, unpredictable, and emotionally charged behavior. Initially, Twilight found Ajax's account of Luna to match up perfectly with her studies, but his extreme hatred and inability to reason discredited the purity of his tale. Ironically enough, Ajax's response to Luna's claims of innocence revealed how true that case may be.

_"I'm not the villain here! Celestia imprisoned me, how can I be responsible for the evils you accuse me of!? I was not part of your war!"_

_"Huh, a tale I heard a thousand times over from the mouths of the enemy. But you cannot deceive me…"_

_The mouths of the enemy_. Twilight never came across a document revealing much about the motivations of "the enemy" other than power mongering. The possibility that the opposition fought not for the demon Nightmare Moon, but rather a banished deity was substantiated and could explain Luna's total ignorance of the past. Even her claims of insanity following her immediate liberation from the moon, too, seemed plausible; one thousand years of solitude could not be healthy for one's psyche. At the same time, Twilight remained convinced that Celestia had good reason behind her actions. She had to; Twilight could not imagine the princess to be so callous and unjust.

However, now was not the time to judge; only to act. The road to Zecora's was longer than Twilight had expected, and her sleep-deprived body was growing weary. Suddenly, a flaming glint of light caught the corner of her eye, and immediately Twilight believed it to be the welcoming fire of the forest hermit's hut. A quick blink dispelled the hope for only the familiar darkness greeted her. Disappointed, exasperated and tired, Twilight's front knee gave way to the stress.

Seeing their friend in trouble, Rarity, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie stopped and helped Twilight back up on her hooves.

"Dear, let me help you carry her," Rarity said with concern, "It's not fair for you to suffer so needlessly when you're friends are here to help."

"No, Rarity, it's fine." Twilight replied with conviction, "I appreciate the offer, but I have to do this myself. You all understand, right?"

Twilight's companions looked at each other nervously. In all honesty, they really didn't, but they could sense that Twilight's strength had not yet completely faded. Nodding slowly, they consented.

"Well then," Twilight said with heavy breath and a grin "Come on, it can't be far now!"

Indeed, only ten minutes more and the company reached their destination. Relieved beyond belief, Twilight banged furiously on the door.

"Zecora! Zecora!," Twilight shouted, "Please help us, it's an emergency, please!"

Discouraged by the zebra's slow response, Twilight banged harder.

"Zecora, we really, really need your help! Let us in, please, it's me, Twi-!"

The door at last unlatched and opened, revealing the forest healer.

"Twilight Sparkle, Celestia's student. Your arrival is most imprudent…"

Upon seeing the injured goddess on Twilight's back, Zecora paused, a look of disbelief washing over her.

"Can it be? Is this a deity I see? Bring her inside with haste , not a moment should you waste!"

Ushering the ponies into her home and shutting the door, Zecora quickly retrieved several towels and blankets to dry and warm her soaking guests.

"Umm, Zecora," Fluttershy piped up, "If you could help me tend to Princess Luna, I fear she's suffering from shock…"

"Why of course Fluttershy, on an herbalist you may always rely."

As the two healers treated Luna for her injuries and condition, Twilight took a moment to close her eyes and relax before contemplating their next move.

For now, she had to hope that Rainbow Dash had succeeded rounding up Applejack and that they were on their way. Still operating on the belief that Lightning Strike was holding back the guard, Twilight at last felt a great deal safer.

Pinkie Pie and Rarity, too, were happy to be in the warm confines of Zecora's home. Rarity took the opportunity to wipe the filthy mud from her beautiful white coat and dry her purple mane…and then helped the indifferent Pinkie do the same.

"Dear...if you could…just hold still…for a second!" Rarity said, struggling to contain the bouncing pink pony, "You have a bit of mud on your face, let me…let me get that!"

"Sorry Rarity!" Pinkie chimed, "It's just so cool being at Zecora's! I mean, at first, it was all creepy and spooky, but then it was all, well, Wow! Totally neat-o stuff from some place maybe a thousand, billion miles away that nopony's ever seen! I mean, even Nightshade is here to check it out, and he's a bit stuffy…"

Rarity and Twilights' ears perked up at the name.

"Pinkie," Rarity said, her voice lowered, "Braveheart's lieutenant is here?"

"Oh yeah! Didn't you guys see?" Pinkie said in her usual, bubbly manner, "He's right over… here!"

Bouncing across the room, Pinkie pointed to a black pegasus wrapped in a blanket. Not too far from him was the standard golden armor of the Royal Guard.

Frightened by the presence of the guard, Twilight joined Zecora and Fluttershy at Luna's bedside in the other room.

"Zecora," she whispered, "what is a member of Celestia's Royal Guard doing in your house?"

The zebra blinked, a bit perplexed to why Twilight was so upset.

"When I found him, many wounds covered his body and his wings broken." Zecora responded, "So I took him in with little question, no words were spoken. Why you fear the fellow so, I do not know."

Opening with a heavy sigh, Twilight told Zecora the many hardships she had endured, from the sacking of her library to the fierce battle against the mighty dragon Ajax.

"Your words explain the stillness of the stars and why you fear the guard," Zecora said sympathetically once Twilight's tale had come to an end, "such a terrible course of events has surely left you scarred."

"Please, Zecora," Twilight replied, "we need to do something about the lieutenant. Normally, I'd use my magic to send him away, but I'm afraid to use complex magic in Everfree. It's…too natural. Things never seem to work exactly right."

"What do you suggest I do? In my land, throwing out a guest is taboo."

"But, if he wakes up…"

"No Twilight Sparkle, my patient I will not dismiss, even if it bring you bliss. To do so for a medic would be greatly remiss."

Frustrated, Twilight turned and left the room. She did not know how long it would take Luna to recover and Applejack and Rainbow Dash were probably wandering the wood looking for them. At the very least time seemed to be on the unicorn's side. Even though the guard posed a possible threat, he was clearly too weak to put up a fight. Nonetheless, Twilight felt it a good policy to simply keep quiet until they could move on. As she entered the main room and saw Pinkie trying to draw a pair of green rimmed glasses on the black pegasus, Twilight brought her hoof to her face as she realized how hard the feat would be.

"Pinkie!" she hissed, "stop that!"

"Oh, sorry Twilight," Pinkie replied, "It's just, well, I thought everypony could use a good laugh now, especially Nightshade…"

"No Pinkie, do not wake him up!" Twilight instructed, "This is serious, we can't afford to be so careless!"

The unicorn's criticism did not extend only to Pinkie as she turned her gaze to Rarity. The fair unicorn was busy looking into a mirror while brushing her lush purple mane.

"Rarity! I thought you were keeping an eye on Pinkie!"

"Pardon me, Twilight," she blushed, "but all this wind and rain has been atrocious for my mane, I couldn't ignore it for much longer. I suppose I was a tad distracted…"

Growling softly, Twilight addressed both her friends.

"Okay girls, we're all going to play that honorable pastime, the quiet game. Think you can manage?"

Rarity nodded and Pinkie zipped her mouth in symbolic gesture.

"Good. Now, we sit and wait."

A half an hour they past in silence. Twilight wanted very much to rest, but she feared that if she split her attention for just a second, Pinkie would wake the unconscious soldier. The perceptive student noted that Pinkie had begun shifting uncomfortably, which was not a good sign to see from the undisciplined pink puff of energy. The warm hut and quiet atmosphere, however, dulled Twilight's resolve. Her eyes dry and heavy, Twilight at last gave into temptation and closed them but before the pleasant relief of sleep could take her completely, she was awakened by a loud clatter of metal pots.

Turning to the kitchenette, Twilight saw Pinkie covered in pots and pans. Apparently she had opened a thoroughly stuffed cabinet to get a bowl to sample some food from a large black pot.

This time, Rarity was on top of it. Before she could silence Pinkie, however, they heard a frightened voice from across the room.

"Who's there? Where am I? As a lieutenant of her majesty's Royal Guard, I demand an answer!"

The three froze as the black pegasus rose from his mess of blankets on the floor. Fear gripped Twilight as Nightshade's turned his gaze directly at her. Ready to fight, Twilight's horn began to glow.

But the pegasus said nothing.

Puzzled, Twilight looked deeply into the soldier's eyes to find the pupils covered by a misty sheet of opaque fluid. Instantly, Twilight knew.

Nightshade was blind.

Thinking back to her studies, she recalled having read of cataracts before, but she never thought they could induce blindness so quickly. The lieutenant must have suffered exposure to some serious radiation.

"Hello!" the pegasus shouted loudly, as if he were in a large cave, "Anypony there? Please, I can't see a thing."

Twilight pitied the soldier, the faint quiver in his voice was exactly the same as the one that had clenched tightly to Lightning Strike's words. It was the sound of years of tightly instilled discipline struggling against a sudden, unimaginable fear.

Rushing from the bedroom, Zecora heeded Nightshade's call as the three friends kept their silence.

"Worry not and rest my friend, on I, Zecora, you can depend."

"Where am I? Why can't I move my wings?" Nightshade responded anxiously, his face turning unintelligibly in the direction of the zebra's voice, "Why do you speak in rhymes, are you a witch of some sort?"

"No witch am I, despite what my accent may imply. I learned your language when I was quite young, but Zebric syntax clings thickly to my tongue. In my hut in Everfree you now dwell, but, brave soldier, you are far from well. Your bones I have set back into place, but you are still in need of a sturdy brace. I pray you lay down and relax your wings so that I may find it easier to fit these things."

"And my eyes? Will I ever see again?"

"Of this matter do not fret, of permanent blindness there is little threat. An ancient practice of my people will restore your sight, is that not a happy delight?"

As Zecora helped the pegasus to lie down, the guard responded with a hint of relief.

"Thank you Zecora. Please, forgive my accusation, I should know better. I was stationed in the Serengeti for peacekeeping operations when I was in the EAF. As I hear, things have been shaping up there."

As she bandaged the soldier, the zebra replied in a low, somewhat distant voice.

"Of this frozen war I do not wish to speak of. Long have I waited to see the olive branch arrive on the wings of a dove."

"I'm sorry, forget I mentioned it. But Zecora, my company is sorely lacking leadership right now, and our objectives extremely dangerous and sensitive. If you could perform that procedure you mentioned, I can be on my way…"

"I'm sorry, but this I can't permit, you would be most unfit." Zecora replied sharply, "Once done, your vision will remain blurred for a time. To let you walk alone in the forest thus-like would be a crime!"

"I'm not asking your permission," Nightshade responded, his voice now firm, "I'm telling you. My duty is to Celestia, and nothing takes precedence above her security. Every minute that I linger here is another stroke closer to eternal night."

"I do not wish to sound snide, but a soldier's greatest foe is his own pride." She sighed, shaking her head, "But I will do as you ask, soon then may you continue with your task."

As Zecora went to get her supplies, Twilight took her aside and whispered quietly into her ear.

"Zecora, can't you wait to do this? I don't want trouble…"

"Twilight Sparkle," she replied somewhat indignantly, "This procedure cannot wait; much longer and everlasting darkness will be his fate. I understand your perilous plight, but your selfishness is not right. Do not worry so, a blindfold he will wear before he can go."

Though apprehensive, Twilight backed off and accepted Zecora's justification. If worst came to worst, they could handle themselves against a single, crippled guard. Just how he would react to them, however, was the question. This soldier did not seem as brusque as Captain Braveheart, but not as compromising as Lightning Strike. As she watched Zecora administer an herbal anesthetic, the unicorn just hoped she didn't have to find out. The drugs would buy them some more time, but not much.

Turning to the side, Twilight saw Rarity leading Pinkie over to her. The normally energetic ball of pink puff now had her head lowered in remorse.

"Twilight, Pinkie and I had a little talk," Rarity said, "and she has something she'd like to say."

"Rarity, I know it's Pinkie, but you shouldn't treat her like a little foal…"

"No Twilight," Pinkie interrupted, "She's right, I mean I totally heard what you said about Nightshade…it just didn't seem to click, you know? Today is just so weird; I'm not used to being enemies with anypony. I just want to be their friend; I just want everypony to be happy. The best way to fight fire is with laughter, my nana used to say, because everypony likes to laugh and nopony likes to hurt another pony. I know that the guard raided your library and I know that Braveheart shot Big Mac, but I can't think them bad. Every time I do I remember how happy the captain was when nopony got hurt this morning… I dunno, I just think that if we talked with them they'd understand and help us. But what do I know; I'm not smart like you, Twilight. I'm sorry for being a dummy…"

Pinkie's sentiments Twilight easily sympathized with, she wished too that their dilemma could be solved by talking it out. However, she knew that such an approach would only land them in jail.

"Pinkie, you're not dumb," Twilight consoled, "normally I would agree with you. But the guard is not a deliberative body; they have orders and they execute them, just or unjust. Reasoning with them won't work…trust me. One of them, somepony who I thought was a friend, flat out told me that they would not rest until Luna was captured."

The unicorn's words piqued Pinkie's interest. The earth pony now looked Twilight in the eyes.

"Oh! Lightning caught up to you pretty quickly, huh?"

Twilight was a bit surprised that her friend was familiar with a pegasus she herself had not seen in years.

"Uh, yes. He met me outside of Fluttershy's cottage."

"Oh! That's awesome to hear that he got to see you again. When I last saw him, he was sooooooo sad. He didn't want to show it, but I could tell. Did you forgive him?"

"…no. He didn't ask for forgiveness." Twilight said solemnly, "He only tried to justify his actions."

"What? He gave off a totally different vibe in town this morning..."

"Speaking of which," Twilight interrupted, "How did you girls escape the guard?"

Clearing her throat, Rarity took the initiative to answer Twilight's question.

"Oh, it was quite elaborate and daring, dear. As you may have guessed, we were under the guard's custody at my boutique, but with a lot of hard work and a little charm I managed to craft an elegant Nightmare Moon costume and scare the soldier charged with watching over us. I think it may have whipped up a little panic in the town square, but it gave us the cover we needed to make it to Fluttershy's cottage."

"Hold on a second, Rarity," Twilight replied in surprise, "you guys did what? Do you realize how many ponies you put in danger? Not only that, you've probably fueled the guard's fear that the princess is a mass-murdering psychopath!"

A bit thrown off by Twilight's harsh reaction, Rarity stuttered in response.

"Well, dear, I suppose it was not, uh quite desired, but we had to escape somehow. Besides, I saw from my balcony the guard dispatching a mob just earlier this morning and nopony was hurt…Well, perhaps that's not all exactly true. I saw and heard parts, but from what I gathered nothing tragic came of it. I thought the guard would diffuse the situation as quickly as the first…

"Rarity, that was a reckless decision! You just gambled with the lives of every citizen in Ponyville. You can't predict how ponies are going to react with such certainty!"

"What do you want from me, Twilight Sparkle?" Rarity responded, her voice filled with hurt, "You called on me to help you, and I did so without so much a question or doubt in my mind and now you have the nerve to criticize the lack of foresight in my decisions? I was imprisoned because of you Twilight, did you think of me when you decided to run off this morning with a fugitive princess?"

Pausing to let her words sink in, Rarity continued.

"I do not appreciate it, Twilight Sparkle, not the slightest, especially when you apparently had the time to chat up the captain [i]pro tempore[/i] when your friends had to escape from a horde of armed guards."

Twilight flinched at Rarity's stinging words and averted her eyes.

"How, how did you know he's acting captain?"

"My jailers were quite upset about the fact," Rarity replied, "you may think me a flawed leader, but I do have a knack for picking up on detail. What concerns me is why it seems the guard is not on our tails. The village is not very large, and, as I said, a panic should not take so long to quell…"

"Unless it degenerated into a riot…" Twilight mumbled.

"OR," Pinkie chimed in, "maybe Lightning isn't searching for us."

"No Pinkie," Twilight shook her head, "He told me he'd buy me a little time, but that he was bent on carrying out his orders."

"Oh Twilight," Pinkie sang, "we both know that's a load of baloney. You say he said he wasn't sorry, but he sure is acting like he is! You know? Actions are more important than words after all, you must have convinced him deep down!"

"…Pinkie, Lightning sacked my library and interrogated me earlier today. The chance he would completely disregard orders is extremely unlikely…

"But he's the captain now! He makes the orders."

Twilight brought her hoof to her face in silent frustration.

"It's not that simple, Pinkie. But maybe you're right, maybe my words had an impact on Lightning…It's just that we can't know for certain. All this conjecturing is pointless, the only thing we should assume is that the guard believes Luna is responsible for Celestia's disappearance and will do what they can to arrest her. We should focus on plotting the course before us instead of wasting time tracing the steps of the guard. In the end it's of little use. Trust me, I tried to do it this morning."

"Very well, Twilight," Rarity responded, "if that is what you think, I will respect it. I have little mind for such things, I'm an artist, not the student of a goddess-princess. Planning a dress or suit can be difficult, but at the very least I know my mastery will shine through in the end. I am not so certain about public affairs."

"Okay Twilight," Pinkie added, "but I still think you're being unfair to Lightning and the guard."

"Good." Twilight said, "the worst of our journey is behind us. If we can restore Luna's immortality with the Elements of Harmony, nothing can stop her from finding Celestia. Hopefully balance will be restored…"

"Twilight Sparkle," Zecora interrupted the unicorn from across the room, "The procedure I shall soon finish, your voices should thus diminish. Dear child, the drug I applied was quite mild. Don't look too dour, he shall not awake for an hour, but be cautious, I do not know when he will be fully conscious."

"Wow Zecora," Twilight said with surprise, "that was really fast for such a sensitive part of the body. How did you do it?"

Zecora hesitated before replying.

"It is an old technique with much history, but in your land it is a great mystery. Often it is maligned, for it is very risky to the patient who is blind. For this reason in your country it is banned, such has always been Celestia's command."

Twilight's eyebrow rose in suspicion.

"That sounds pretty sketchy, Zecora...by that I mean really sketchy."

"Your opinion I did not request," the zebra replied defensively, "to its wondrous affects you will soon attest."

"Okay, okay, sorry Zecora. I'm in deeper with the authorities than you are, don't sweat it." Twilight chuckled, trying her best to make light of the situation.

Zecora leveled her eyes at Twilight, closed them, and sighed.

"On the table you three will find some food," she said politely, "I hope you like your apples stewed. Now if you'll pardon me, I have another patient I wish to see."

Fetching a kettle from the hearth, Zecora exited the room. Twilight could see clearly now that they had been dismissed for the moment as Fluttershy walked out of the room a bit disappointed.

"Are you all right there Fluttershy?" Twilight asked her skittish friend.

"Umm, yes, it's just, uh, I'd like to be there for the princess…but Zecora insisted that I eat. I guess I should take care of myself too…"

"Don't worry Fluttershy," Twilight replied, "You've done so much today already, I'm so grateful to have you for a friend."

"Thanks Twilight," Fluttershy smiled, "But it looks like somepony else needs my help…"

Twilight's eyes bulged at Fluttershy's words. Apparently Zecora's drug was even less impotent than the zebra suggested. Turning around, she noticed the lieutenant beginning to stir.

Gesturing to her friends to keep quiet, Twilight magically wrapped a piece of nearby cloth around Nightshade's eyes.

"Zecora," the soldier muttered groggily, "is that it? How long do I have to wear this blindfold?"

He was answered with silence.

"Zecora?"

Sighing, the unicorn realized she couldn't keep up the façade for much longer and decided it best to reveal herself in a calm, collected fashion. As she prepared to quickly retrieve the zebra, she was surprised to hear Zecora's voice right beside her.

"Proud solider of the royal élite, your treatment is near complete. Do not touch the cloth that blinds your eyes, to expose them to the light would be most unwise."

Mouth agape, Twilight stared at Pinkie Pie. The bubbly mare was always quite good with coming up with spur of the moment sing-along ditties with excellent rhythm and rhyme; what surprised Twilight was Pinkie's nearly flawless impersonation of Zecora's voice. Seeing the unicorn's shocked expression, Pinkie winked and continued her apt impression of the forest hermit.

"Come, dine with me as you wait, I assure you my cooking is really great!"

The black pegasus consented with a nod.

"You said my greatest weakness was my pride,but you were dead wrong. " Nightshade laughed, "My stomach is! I can smell those heavenly stewed apples, and I won't lie to you, they smell better than anything from last night's royal banquet. Boy, I can't wait to get a bite of that grub! If you could...you know...just lead me to the table..."

Twilight gestured to Fluttershy to help the lieutenant get some food. As the yellow pegasus led him away, Twilight looked at Pinkie with a mixture of joy and confusion.

"Pinkie," she whispered, "how in Equestria did you do that?"

The earth pony gave a faint giggle and responded.

"Zecora's accent is so cool and creepy that sometimes when I'm working at the bakery and Mr. and Mrs. Cake are gone, I pretend that I'm Zecora making a totally awesome, super-secret concoction of mystery and magic!"

"...and you talk to yourself..."

"Well yeah, duh. I always like to talk and who better to talk to when I'm alone than myself? Myself can be a pretty interesting pony, I mean just the other day I met myself as a pirate..."

"...that's really something Pinkie." Twilight interrupted, "But I need you to keep the lieutenant busy for a while more. Can you do that?"

"Yep, no problem Twi!"

"Zecora," they heard Nightshade nervously speak to Fluttershy, "what's that sound? I hear voices, are we not alone?"

Pinkie Pie hurriedly rushed to Fluttershy's side, thought for a second, and replied to the soldier's question.

"Heightened and confused, no doubt, your senses are. What you hear is the pitter-patter of mice, nothing very bizarre. Now hush and give me your trust, to this new world you must adjust."

Nightshade grunted unhappily; he did not like being reminded that he was incapacitated.

"Hopefully I won't have to, that is if what you said is true." Nightshade growled, "I can't wait to be rid of this blindfold and back in the field where I'm needed. Gah! I can't believe all this really happened..."

"What exactly bothers you, good soldier?" Pinkie asked out of genuine concern for the guard.

"I don't like to disclose intelligence to anypony, especially civilians. But you helped me out big time. Without you, I bet I'd be some monster's dinner right now. Hell, even if that didn't happen, I'd still be blind as a bat. I can't write you off after all that. Just keep this to yourself, okay?" Nightshade replied before sighing heavily. "The royal guard's primary and most difficult objective is to capture the renegade Nightmare Moon. We also have orders to protect a powerful weapon from falling under the dark one's influence, the Elements of Harmony."

The four listened intently as the soldier paused to sample the stewed apple Rarity had dished for him.

"Mmm, pretty good stuff, Zecora, you weren't lying. Could use some more cinnamon, though."

"Ah-hem."

"Ah yes, back on topic. This power was entrusted to Twilight Sparkle, Princess Celestia's faithful student, and her five friends. Their profiles were passed on to the higher ranking officers so we could be better able to identify and defend them. But wouldn't you know it, we were already too late. Nightmare Moon got to them first, even succeeding in poisoning Miss. Sparkle's mind against the crown. I gotta tell you, I'd never expect Miss. Sparkle would turn her back on her teacher, I've watched her cling to the princess' every word for years. It just goes to show you how powerful that demon is. So, as you can guess, we were a bit afraid the other elements would be easily taken by Nightmare Moon. To stop this, the captain ordered the detention of all Miss. Sparkle's friends on any grounds we could come up with. What was important was that they were all accounted for and far from Nightmare Moon's reach. We managed to round up three of them before our captain was...sent away. After that, operations came to a grinding halt under my compatriot who, for some reason, thought it a good idea to wait about the village before vanishing himself. I went out to search for him, but I came across somepony more important: the element of loyalty herself, Rainbow Dash."

Taking another bite of his meal, the guard swallowed and continued.

"I'm sure you've heard of her, too. She's fast and destined for greatness, there is no denying that, but she is still a rookie in terms of maneuvering. Against a professional flier, she had little chance. But you know what they say about trapped animals. In her desperation she managed to perform the 'Sonic Rainboom' and sent me hurdling from the skies, beaten, blind and broken. I failed, and now I sit at your table a useless pegasus."

There was a moment of silence as Nightshade ate his dinner. Pinkie was thinking hard about what next to say, evidenced by her distinct and obvious physical expression of what qualified as "to think". At last she responded.

"If catching and securing Twilight's friends is your goal, should you not pursue it like a troll?"

Nightshade stopped eating. One could not see his expression, but his words were heated.

"What do you mean, "troll"? You may have healed me, Zecora, but I will not stand to hear the Royal Guard be disrespected! We are the elite, we are organized and privy to all intelligence reports, even those once classified under the secrecy of the Royal Bloodline are at our disposal. Nopony is more informed than the guard, nopony more able to make the right choice save Celestia herself! The corp has done everything in its capacity to ensure order and prevent Nightmare Moon from accomplishing her wicked desires, something ten million trolls could never in their lives accomplish."

Seeing that she misspoke, Pinkie quickly tried to clarify what she wanted to say.

"Uh, sorry, but what I mean is simply this: arresting ponies willy-nilly seems awfully remiss. Surely your methods are a tad extreme, talking leads to better cooperation, I deem."

"Ugh, you can never satisfy civilians." the black pegasus huffed, "They want us, neigh, expect us to solve a crisis without even the smallest sacrifice on their part. Then when something does go wrong as a result, they blame us for failing in our duties. No, Zecora, inspiring cooperation takes far longer than forcing it."

Formulating another response (and double checking the syllable count), Pinkie replied.

"To always treat another pony with respect, do you think it really that incorrect?"

Nightshade shook his head.

"Security is always priority, Zecora, respect for civil liberties is secondary. The world teeters on the brink of destruction, a few hurt feelings and a couple of owies are a small price we have to pay to save it. What we're doing is right, but civilians are too self-interested to give a damn."

Consuming the last few morsels, the pegasus once again shook his head.

"If it's one thing I've learned on the guard, it's that you can't compromise with evil, you have to face it and destroy it as quickly as possible. If somepony gets in the way, they too need to be removed. Hey I don't like it, but they made their choices. Casualties are inevitable, there is no cure-all."

Nightshade's words both intrigued and infuriated Twilight; at any rate the unicorn wanted to get her word in. Taking a quill and notepad from her saddlebag, Twilight quickly scribbled her reply and floated the paper to Pinkie to read.

"You may think yourself knowledgeable and altruistic, but I see you are applying a fatal heuristic. Nothing do you know of the sisters' last interaction, it is possible your 'sound intelligence' led to an inappropriate interpretation."

"Huh, your Equestrian is good for a foreigner." Nightshade responded, noting also the change in Pinkie's tone, "If you're implying that Nightmare Moon isn't at fault here, you need to get your head checked. Just last year she tried to pull the same stint, and apparently she was even worse a thousand years ago. When it comes to an unholy evil like her, all means justify the ends. Anypony who doesn't think that is either living in a fantasy world or dead. Some ponies might think the Guard to be overbearing, but I have no regrets. We have only done good."

Tired and irritable, Twilight had fought the urge to speak up and give the guard a piece of her mind. She couldn't stand listening to Nightshade, the guard was just so wrong.

"_Refute him_." the temptation gnawed at her, "_He's only one guard, so what if he knows who you are? He's stuck in Everfree Forest miles away from any help, nothing realistic will come of it_."

It made so much sense in her head that she became convinced it was the right thing to do.

"Such a heartless philosophy will only beget more evil, Nightshade, not good!" Twilight erupted, shaking the table and surprising her friends and shocking the lieutenant, "How dare you separate the duties you have to Celestia from the ponies she loves, together they are the state you swore to defend and uphold! Citizens are not mindless foals in need of discipline, don't you think for a second you're better than they are! In your haste to save the world you have shed the moral backbone of the guard and jettisoned all notions of honor and dignity in favor of efficiency. How can you think you have done good when you have abandoned all the principles of what good stands for? How can you combat evil if you can't sin it in yourself! Your self-righteousness has left you a shell of a soldier, Nightshade!"

Ripping the blindfold from his face, Nightshade looked around the table to discover four blurry ponies, but he could instantly guess their identities. Seeing Pinkie Pie and Rarity, in particular, spooked the soldier.

"Umm, Nightshade, please," Fluttershy squeaked, "Zecora said to keep that on until you've recovered..."

"A lie! All of it smoke and mirrors!" Nightshade fumed, "There is no zebra, only a traitor! Where's your new teacher, Twilight Sparkle, did she teach you that load of rotten apples?"

"Be quiet and listen!" Twilight shouted, "At first I didn't want your eyes to be healed, but a wise friend reminded me that I was wrong to wish that, that it was a violation of your dignity. Later, I considered tying you up against your will just like you did to my friends, but I didn't. My life would be made infinitely easier if you were out of my way, but I realize now that it is a rare event when the ends do truly justify the means."

"Oh no, don't try to take the moral high ground here, Miss. Sparkle," Nightshade responded, gritting his teeth, "Princess Celestia banished her sister to the moon to stop her from destroying Equestria. Was that excessive? Was that wrong?"

"...I don't...I can't know..." Twilight stuttered, "but it wasn't right, nor was it wrong, it was [i]just[/i]."

"Esoteric egg heads," Nightshade sneered, "always splitting hairs to cover their tracks and muddle obvious truths. What is good is just, what is evil is unjust, a foal could tell you that! It only goes to show how corrupt you are!"

"Think what you will then! Ignore the fact that we cared for you even though you seek only to do us harm!" Twilight angrily countered, "You'll never listen to me anyways!"

Nightshade's left eye twitched, a furious expression now burning across his face. He was having a difficult time focusing on Twilight, and his eyes began to seer with pain.

"You're right about that! You're the disciple of Nightmare Moon now, every word you speak is another drop of poison! One act of kindness will not buy my allegiance! Besides, your friend is the very reason I'm crippled. What thanks should I owe you for healing me? This is all probably part the demon's plot to ensnare me, but she won't! Not this soldier!"

From the corner of his left eye, Nightshade saw two figures enter the room.

"Oh my, what is this obnoxious ruckus!" Zecora decried, "My guests, you do my home little justice!"

"Shut up!" Nightshade responded, shaking his head furiously, "You're a lie, a puppet! I see your mistress beside you, that cursed and wretched Nightmare Moon!"

In all honesty, he could not really see Luna, only a distorted dark blue figure. Frightened, he shoved Twilight out of his way and made for the door.

"Oh dear," Fluttershy said, "please don't go Nightshade, you won't see a thing in the forest! It's really dangerous and your eyes..."

"Blast them!" he shouted, "I'll find a way, I am an elite!"

With that he opened the door and stumbled into the darkness of Everfree Forest.

Sighing, Twilight turned to Pinkie.

"That, Pinkie, is why you there's no reasoning with the guard. They already have their own..."

Mentally strained and physically exhausted, the unicorn fell to the floor.

"Twilight," Fluttershy said, "you can't go on like this, you only slept for only a little bit at my house. You need to rest, here I'll fetch a blanket."

Twilight closed her eyes and let her indignation subside. Now with clearer mind, she wished she hadn't caved into her argumentative nature so easily, but she had been too tired to check herself. The unicorn was aggravated; she had been so worried that Pinkie would slip-up that she failed to take into account her own weaknesses. Thinking back to how she yelled at Rainbow Dash, Luna, and Rarity didn't help her self-confidence either. She was so ready to give advice and tell others how they should behave that she forgot that she too fell into the same sort of non-sensical patterns of behavior. Her exchange with Nightshade also left Twilight troubled; the young prodigy had earlier convinced herself that Celestia had a reason, a justification for what she did in the past. Was she putting Celestia on too high a pedestal, was the princess really no better than the lieutenant, or herself for that matter? Was morality, the heart of harmony, really that much of a sham that it could be cast aside at the first sign of trouble, a time when it was needed most?

As Fluttershy draped the blanket over her, Twilight felt herself drifting back to sleep. Instead of a library, however, her dreams provided her with but a single book. Opening it up, she saw only one word crudely scrawled across the entire length of the page.

_Hypocrite._

/

"I am glad to see you are in such good condition, it is not long now before you can continue your mission."

The rhyming words of the zebra brought a smile to Luna's face. More so than the décor of the hut, the accent invoked pleasant memories of happy festivities and beautiful music. The Zebric tribes of the Serengeti held a special place in Luna's heart, their peace with natural world reflected the harmonious vision she had for the settlement of Everfree. The absence of hierarchy, institution, and regimentation in society was what the moon goddess considered ideal, a return to those trouble-free days before Discord when the ponies roamed the wild fields of Equestria, much like the traditional tribal life of both the zebra and the buffalo. The ponies then were simple creatures, yes, but they were kind, loving, happy, and free from the sins and burdens of what Celestia called civilization. However, Luna had long ago abandoned this hope for Equestria. The ponies were too accustomed and dependent on her sister's artificial constructs, those incessant, complex machines of government and economy. As it was, Luna saw everywhere the ponies in chains. The best she could hope for them was a semblance of that bygone liberty and community through self-governance and reliance. It was this hidden desire of Luna's that Morning Star had understood all too well. Her fair words resonated deeply with the moon goddess and moved her; it was true that society would never regress to its original shape, but it did have the opportunity to progress and evolve to once again reinstate those laws not created by the soulless state, but by organic nature. Coupled with her goal to relieve Celestia of her endless labor, Luna had risked everything that fateful night to achieve this. She thought that if she could center the debate on her own feelings, her own need to retreat, she could pressure Celestia into an unavoidable ultimatum, one that would force her to choose between the love of her little sister or her rule of Equestria. Celestia's rejection had left Luna stunned, she did not honestly expect her sister to choose power over her, and the fact broke her heart and drove her to insanity.

The pungent smell of hot tea broke Luna away from her straying thoughts.

"To imagine the goddess of the moon should grace this place, yet how sad it is to see her wounded face. Please drink your majesty, you will find healing in this special tea."

Pouring her a cup and offering it, Luna gratefully accepted.

"Thank you for your generosity, but who are you and where am I?"

"Ah yes, Zecora I'm known to pony-folk, to my home in Everfree you have awoke. On the back of Twilight Sparkle you arrived, it is with great fortune you survived."

"You live in my forest?" Luna smiled warmly, "What brings you from the Serengeti to Everfree?"

Zecora frowned at the goddess' words.

"I thought you more than anypony should know, being the moon princess of tales from long ago."

Luna looked at the zebra with worry.

"You cannot mean to tell me…"

"Yes, the ceaseless conflict has endured, after a thousand years it has only matured."

It was now Luna's turn to frown. More than a mileniuum ago she had effortlessly orchestrated a peace between the zebra and the gazelle. Grazing land and access to watering holes were the main points of contention, but, with the help of her advisers, she had organized a truce centered on principles of equal distribution between the tribes. It was entirely sensible, why should hostilities later ensue?

"How can this be?" Luna said, disturbed by the revelation, "I solved the problem. For two hundred years not a single drop of blood was spilled in the Serengeti. We danced together in celebration, pony, zebra, and gazelle alike!"

Zecora shook her head slowly.

"Through spoken tongue, not written word, has the phantom memory survived. Perhaps to an ancient it may sound a bit contrived, but the buried truth within must be revived. Long ago there was indeed a truce between zebra and gazelle, but it was shattered by a wicked spell. Famine and plague tore across the once fertile plain, and reborn was that great disdain. In their hour of need each side invoked your protection, but your silence was a sound rejection. Of the affairs of your land we zebra little cared, we could not imagine that the moon goddess was impaired. Without you, dear Princess Luna, patroness of joy and hope, with our hatred and despair we could not cope. Even as the shadow departed the fields of the Serengeti, the bloody feuds remained trite and petty."

Luna closed her eyes and shook her head in disbelief.

"No, how can this be possible? How could my sister permit this to happen, how could she stand idly by when there is such suffering?"

"Yes, in my youth I too once asked the very question" Zecora replied, "how could the sun goddess allow this aggression? But on her, too much blame and too little praise did I lay. For centuries she has sent her peacekeepers to stem the violence and bring the tribes under her amicable sway. It is the zebra and the gazelle who cannot let go of their hatred and spite, all the power in this world alone cannot purge it outright."

"My sister wields the might of the Elements of Harmony," Luna countered, "there is no force in existence its equal, it should wipe clean such terrible hatred!"

Zecora gave Luna a puzzled look.

"Twilight has mentioned this magic before, but I doubt alone it can win a war."

Luna opened her mouth to protest, but Celestia's struggle in the war reminded the goddess that perhaps Zecora was correct in her thinking.

"…Well, still. Even without the Elements, can she do nothing more than peacekeeping?"

Zecora shook her head once more.

"A truce Princess Celestia has tried to forge, but little peace has been induced. The sun goddess is always quite busy, some say following her tracks makes one dizzy. It is not surprising that she has little time for the affairs of other lands, the needs of Equestria create for her a host of demands."

Luna knew the zebra's words to be true, but she remained uncomfortable about her sister's inability to impose peace. Celestia was the master of order and subtle political manipulation, her mind was infinitely more clever than Luna's and yet the sun goddess had failed where Luna had succeeded. It made little sense to the goddess, but then again, the zebra and gazelle she had once known were not the same as the tribes that now struggled against one another. But another fact disturbed her: history had not corrected itself. There was little to no progress, though a hundred generations had come and gone their tribal hostility survived, a hideous scar from those darkest of days. The moon goddess questioned if they even knew why they hated one another.

Not wanting to dwell on the idea, Luna shift the topic of conversation back on to Zecora.

"Zecora, if what you fear is the instability of your country, why come to Everfree? It is a beautiful forest, yes, but it is less predictable than living in Equestria proper. Celestia has not touched my land; it remains wild and unsettled, unfortunately...ponies tend to love security more than freedom. This I could little understand…"

"Of pony-kind I am not," Zecora interrupted, "I too love freedom, it is something dearly bought. No, I do not like Celestia's many laws and regulations, I cherish too much a full spectrum of sensations. For that is what the mystery of life provides, if I may so confide. In Celestia's Equestria all things work in mechanical concert, even over nature, the weather, the seasons, complete control does she exert. My princess, such a predictable life is not for me, that is why I live under the boughs of Everfree. But don't you see? This forest permits me the peace of Equestria and the freedom of the Serengeti."

Luna considered Zecora's interpretation of her forest being a real part of her sister's empire.* It was true that Celestia administered to the region and maintained a barracks around the northern perimeter, but its purpose was to keep beasts in the forest, not defend the brave few who chose to live a more spiritual life. But what could Luna really say? She knew little of the modern disorder in the Serengeti, perhaps her forest truly was a haven to this zebra.

After taking another sip of tea, Luna decided it best to steer the conversation back into happier waters away from the conflict of the Serengeti.

"Zecora, tell me about what you like to do, what about Everfree that makes you feel alive?"

"I cultivate herbs, such is my trade," the zebra replied, "many remedies have I made. Some you may call experimental for some of the side-effects are quite accidental."

Luna looked at the zebra with a raised brow.

"That sounds a bit, shall I say...questionable?"

Sighing, Zecora ignored the familiar comment and continued.

"But this is not my sole dedication, I am also a known musician throughout my nation."

Luna's eyes lit up in response.

"Then you know of all the old songs as well? Could you, perhaps, play me a song? It has been centuries since I spoke Zebric, but I'm sure I'll remember the lyrics if I can hear the beat of the drum."

Zecora blushed, a bit nervous to accept the request of a goddess.

"Oh, but, it is unnecessary..."

"Please Zecora," Luna asked, "I'm sure your voice will heal me better than any herb you've plucked from the earth."

"Well, if you insist," Zecora smiled, "who am I to deny the goddess in my midst?"

Moving to a large drum at the end of Luna's bed, Zecora paused for a moment and turned back to Luna.

"My heart guides what I must sing, I hope you are not bothered by its painful sting. Of this bitter-sweet tragedy you may be aware, _Utenzi wa Shufaka_ is often hard to bear..."

Beating the drum in a slow, rhythmic motion, Zecora sang in a low, tranquil voice.

"_Kisa, uje ukaribu mbele I utakarabu tamukalo ukutubu; ukihifadhi.._"

It had been a thousand years since Luna had last spoken Zebric. Unlike the unchanging tongue of dragons or firmly standardized Equestrian, the language had greatly evolved throughout the centuries, making it difficult for the goddess to understand the lyrics. Zecora's dialect, too, added to Luna's confusion. And yet, the song was so familiar to her, its beat and rhythm synching in concert with the beat of her troubled heart. Slowly, the music awoken within the goddess the unpleasant memory of _Utenzi wa Shufaka/_.

The story told of two sky spirits who argued over the goodness of the zebra. The first believed that the zebra had fallen, that there compassion had long dried up under the hot sun of the Serengeti. The second rejected this, maintaining firmly that they remained as righteous as ever. Descending to earth to test a tribe of common zebra, the first spirit proclaimed that the second was ill and could only be saved by the blood of a willing foal. Despite their great love for the young one, the chief of the tribe offered her only daughter's life. Such selflessness revealed to the first that it was wrong, but it could not bring back the dead. As a reminder to the good of the zebra, the spirit cast the foals ashes across the heavens, memorializing the young one's sacrifice for eternity among the stars.

The princess of the night knew that the story was merely a myth, she had crafted the constellation herself a few millennia ago, but she did not want fact to ruin an exceptional work of art. However, though she enjoyed the beautiful flow of melodious poetry, the content of the tale was unsavory. Of her own choice the young maiden had accepted death, but was it truly her will or that of her mother? Where was the compassion of the spirit who needlessly permitted the young one's blood to be shed by her own mother? How could such callous disrespect for life ever be interpreted as good, how could such heroic compassion and sacrifice be a corruption of the morality it sought to inspire?

Luna chose to shake away such thoughts and focus on the rhythmic beat of the music. The wondrous verse brought back her memory of the Zebric lyrics, and though an imperfect speaker, Luna joined in Zecora's song. At the sound of the goddess' voice, the zebra ceased singing and listened in awe to Luna's sublime chanting. It was as sweet as the morning song of the springtime robin, yet as somber as the blackbird's cry. Luna's Zebric too, was far older than Zecora's, but the sound of the old tongue complemented the ancient roots of the tragedy. Losing herself in the music and divine rhyme, the goddess became oblivious to all else. For an hour she sung the entirety of the epic, and upon approaching the climax of the tale Luna poured a thousand years of her sorrow into the dying words of the young zebra.

"_Mamaye si kilio, mimi kufa hivyo roho dunia wapate kuishi. Ukuu nini mimi kupata katika kifo na uovu wa mimi kupata katika maisha"_

Rendered into Equestrian, it translates roughly thus-like:

"_Mother cry not, I die so the sky spirit may live. Such beauty I find in death and what evil I find in life.._."

Not only did the naive bravery of the innocent move Luna to tears, but the mother's tender response as well.

"_My beloved daughter, with heavy heart I offer your soul to the heavens above. If I could I would spill every drop of my blood to save you, but fate does not permit me that joy. Forgive your poor, wretched mother for what she must do_."

As she sang of the swift stroke of the knife, Luna began to weep. Utanzi wa Shafaka was not just an old epic of a foreign tribe of equids, it was, in many ways, her own history. Echoed in the mother's plea were Celestia's final words to her a thousand years ago.

"_…I'm sorry Luna. This is the best I can do for you…and Equestria._"

She was Celestia's sacrificial lamb, an offering to that bleak phantom called fate. The moon goddess had once scoffed at the idea, but her imprisonment and mortality had given her new perspective. Defeated and no longer invincible, Luna was acutely aware that she was hardly in control of her destiny, verily, how could she be? Most obviously she did not choose banishment. Even more telling was how she had relied on the help of others, surrendering her will to theirs' and abandoning responsibility for the consequences. Perhaps fate was not the abstract, guiding force she had thought it to be but rather the very concrete and chaotic sum total of a million free wills of varying strength struggling against each other? Was even her sister just another will in an ocean of many? As the most powerful one, did this mandate that she must bind and give reason to the infinite in the hopes she could dismantle destiny and permit a greater semblance of free will to even exist? Was order truly the source of free will, and liberty the source of destiny?

Choking back her tears, Luna tried to sing the final verses correctly, but the joy she was supposed to convey upon the release of the foal's ashes was overshadowed by her grief.

Zecora had been enthralled by Luna's angelic voice, which, coupled with the steady drumbeat, kindled within her a spiritual ecstasy she had never in her life experienced. She felt Luna's tribulation as if a thousand daggers had pierced her flesh upon slow, excruciating succession, but the pain was not evil.

It was enlightening.

As the song came to an end, Luna and Zecora sat in silent introspective reflection. After a few minutes, the zebra suddenly realized her error.

"Princess Luna, please pardon my choice in song, to do so was unprofessional and wrong."

"No, Zecora, not all tears are evil, but all are purifying." the goddess replied, "Music does not always heal through mindless comfort, more often it is a mirror to the soul that permits one the chance to see within and remove the roots of her suffering."

"This may be true, but there is no reason to always be so blue. May I tempt you with a happier tune?"

"Yes Zecora," Luna smiled, "I think it's wise to warm my spirits before I face the chilling wind yet again. Could you perhaps play _Dada jua na dada mwei_, it is an old favorite."

"An ancient song you request," Zecora said with a wink, "but I know it, my lucky guest!"

Taking out an exotic stringed instrument, Zecora picked a pristine melody that gradually quickened in pace and tempo. Rising from her bed, Luna began to dance and sing in Equestrian. Gone from her voice was the chilling dread of Utenzi wa Shufaka, it had been replaced with elation and euphoria for this was not just an old folk song, it was her song, [i]Sister Sun and Sister Moon[/i]. More than a thousand years ago, a delegation of the zebra tribes had come to the court at Canterlot to pay their respects to the two princesses. Among them was a bard called Zerdowsi who crafted an epic in both Zebric and Equestrian in honor of the two sisters. He had spent his entire life composing the 60,000 verses and was richly rewarded by Celestia for his devotion and impressive skill. Of course, [i]Sister Sun and Sister Moon[/i] was only the first ten or so couplets put to music, but it was by far Luna's favorite part. When Zerdowsi performed it at the court at Canterlot, she had gotten Celestia to dance with her. The sun goddess, however, was no ballerina, so Luna took the opportunity to teach her sister that curious art of dancing. It was indeed a strange sight for all the nobles and ambassadors in presence to see Celestia stumble about, trying to keep up with her far more elegant and flexible little sister. What Luna loved most about this memory was that Celestia didn't even care about the on looking crowd seeing her embarassing weakness, she only laughed and continued on with her awkward attempts.

The song itself sang of their youth, and though it was fairly inaccurate, it still warmed Luna's heart and made her feel spiritually at one with her sister.

[_In the time before when the lands were new_

_And the skies were cold and the ponies few_

_All was dark and fear_

_Spread from far to near_

_And the skies were empty and lost and **_

_As we zebra roamed through the darkened land_

_We had nothing ours but held in each hand_

_And we could not see_

_And we could not breath_

_And we knew not of any majesty_

_But there came a light shining in the skies_

_As a lily blossomed before our eyes_

_And it split in two_

_One of white, one of blue_

_As the blossom blazed and it grew and grew_

_With a fiery flash from beside the flower_

_As the pedals burst with majestic power_

_There a goddess came_

_With her mighty flame_

_And divinity born from hoof to mane_

_In her wake there came born of her great fire_

_A grand ball of light that would never tire_

_And the warmth it shed_

_Banished fear and dread_

_And we zebra laughed in her awesome stead_

_But as the lily blooms twice in every year_

_So its petals swirled and we lent a cheer_

_For its blossoms glowed_

_And its beauty flowed_

_It began to swell great and bright and bold_

_What would burst forth now took our breath away_

_A dark angel banishing the bright of day_

_And her lights filled the skies_

_And before our eyes_

_She filled the heavens with legends wise_

_In her wake there came born of her great love_

_A great orb of light floating high above_

_And it glowed and shined_

_With the great divine_

_And she looked on us with a love so kind_

_So came sister sun, so came sister moon_

_As they filled the skies with their love in tune_

_One with fire so full_

_One with glow to lull_

_One of body and heart, one of mind and soul._

In the middle of the song, however, Luna felt something was off. Pausing, she heard angry shouts leaking through the door, tainting her joyful song with unwanted discord. Giving Zecora a worried look but saying nothing, Luna exited the room with a heavy heart.

Once more she was torn from her sister, feeling anew the lonliness and pain of seperation and isolation.

Once more she felt the icy cold of death's shadow graze her soul.


	10. Chapter 10

Frigid Winds and Burning Hearts

Part 10

"Hey Applejack, what's holding you up? We've got places to go, let's hustle!"

Trudging onwards against the renewed ferocity of the prevailing wind, Applejack struggled to keep up with her zealous friend. Though incredibly stout and strong from years of harvesting her family's namesake, the earth pony lacked the swift agility of her pegasus peer. Applejack was impressed with Rainbow's display of tenacity despite flying in the face of winter's harsh harbinger. Even for a pegasus, a race more resistant to the fury of the elements, Rainbow was exceptional. Joining the rainbow-maned pegasus at the eves of Everfree, Applejack was disheartened to find before her the fulfillment of the north wind's covenant; the freezing rain that once poured down the boughs of the forest had now coalesced into a crystalline flurry of drifting snow. Its icy sheen glittered in the pale light of the moon as it danced to the sway of the wind's roaring symphony. A divine pleasantry for the eye to the behold, the beauty of the new fallen snow was nonetheless lost to Applejack. Feeling only its bitter bite consuming her with numbness , the earth pony could only see a demon garbed in white and masked in shadow. Shivering, Applejack turned to Rainbow Dash and smiled playfully.

"Nice work you put in here, RD." the orange pony chuckled , "It's not too often you go beyond the call of duty! A rainstorm, sure, that's one thing, but a blizzard this early?"

"Hey!" Rainbow Dash responded defensively "There's no way you're pinning this one on me! Yeah, I kick-started this baby, but Everfree took it and made its own! Just take a look at these snowflakes!" she said playfully, swiping a couple from the air to show to Apple Jack, "They all look the same! I mean, c'mon, even I wouldn't be caught dead with a shoddy piece of work like this!"

Telling the difference between a good snowflake and a bad one was never the concern of Earth Ponies and Rainbow Dash knew full well of that. Grinning, Applejack simply shook her head.

"Whatever you say, hun! Now, how 'bout we can get to helpin' Twi like you were sayin'? A dragon ain't somethin' you want on yer tail."

"Ha! Chill-out Applejack!" Rainbow replied nonchalantly as the two entered the forest, "That cold-blooded loser is probably snoring right now, I'm pretty sure I read somewhere that they don't like snow or ice..."

"Rainbow Dash. Read?" Applejack said, while unsuccessfully stifling a laugh. "Phft...!"

Rainbow Dash wanted to feel insulted, but in all honesty, she had little grounds to be and it was a little funny, too.

"...fine, I guess you can call it more of a field experiment..."

"Readin' and experimentin' now?" burst Applejack, unable to withhold her laughter anymore, "Well Ah'll be darned Rainbow, yer startin' to sound like Twilight Sparkle here!"

Rainbow Dash blushed at Applejack's words. The pegasus knew her friend was secretly still hurting inside; Applejack wasn't one to forget injury so easily. Rainbow knew this fact firsthoofedly from a long history of pranks and competitions. The earth pony was strong-willed and uncomfortable with asking for help; she would deal with her pain in her own way. Often enough, it was through light-hearted teasing, a practice aimed at detracting others from her own troubled feelings. As such, Rainbow was not totally oblivious to why her friend was so detached from their predicament, but she couldn't help but feel a bit annoyed.

"...okay Carrot Top," Rainbow Dash chuckled hesitantly, "Yeah, well, by 'experiment' I kinda meant the time I pummeled Spike with a hailstorm of snowballs! You see, Twi was kinda angry with me about that cause Spike was out of it for a week afterward...but it probably doesn't matter anyway. I'm sure Princess Luna gave that lizard a big royal cup of kick-flank!"

Flying in front of Applejack, Rainbow did am enthusiastic loop and looked back at her friend.

"It was awesome, AJ! The dragon actually thought it could beat the princess! I mean, what a lame-brained frog, am I right? He tried blasting her with a firestorm but she didn't even break a sweat! And then BOOM! Lightning! It didn't take her a second to face that guy head on. No armor, no weapon, no fear! Now that's a princess I can get behind, she's definitely not afraid to get her hooves a little dirty!"

Applejack frowned, any pretense of good-humor melting away at the mentioning of the moon goddess' name. Once more she tried to embrace her brother's words and refrain from judging and hating Luna, but it was too difficult to accept so quickly. Her feelings would not conform to what her mind wanted to believe, no matter how wise the lesson. Rainbow's words of praise for Luna only made her hidden hatred for the princess seethe.

"Her hooves ain't a little dirty Rainbow." Applejack whispered in contempt,"They're filthy, bloody, and darn-right disgustin'..."

Surprised to hear Applejack's teasing devolve into sincere hostility towards their goddess and princess, Rainbow Dash's mouth hung open in shock. The pegasus knew Applejack held Luna responsible for her brother's beating, but her words made it sound as if it were Luna who actually took the nightstick to Big Mac's face.

"Hey, AJ, you know that's not true, cut the princess some slack!" Rainbow Dash said as they continued following the muddy trail before them, "Look, I know it's not easy for you to help Luna out but..."

"Ah ain't helpin' Luna," Applejack said, the calm of her voice betrayed by an irate quiver, "Ah'm helpin' my friends, the ponies Ah love who deserve mah trust an' respect."

"Since when has 'Applejack, the most dependable of ponies' had a check-off list on who was good enough for her help?" Rainbow replied, "That doesn't sound like my friend, nope, not in a hundred, no, thousand years would she abandon a pony in need!"

"Never mind it, Rainbow." Applejack huffed, "Jus' lead the way. Ah don't want to talk about this anymore."

Seeing her friend once more swallow her pain, Rainbow Dash sighed and decided against pursuing the issue further. As it was, the pegasus wasn't the best at consoling ponies with emotional problems, though she could, at the very least, sympathize with Applejack. Like her, Rainbow's solution to problems was usually to deny or ignore them. If confronted with them, she would push ponies away and wallow in her bitterness while knowing full well that she truly needed them. But pride is cruel and knows no reason. The best thing Rainbow could do for Applejack was to respect her decisions.

"Yeah...okay then." Rainbow replied, "I'm pretty sure we just keep following this path for a ways yet, I mean..."

"What?"

"Nothin', it's just really dark...but I got it, really!...Oh yeah, and if we get there and they're not there, don't freak! Twi said that they would be heading to Everfree Castle."

With a slight nod, Applejack continued down the perilous path before them; the wet mud had frozen and made for both a sticky and slippery journey while the palpable darkness made it even worse. Unlike Rainbow who soared the skies nimbly and quickly, Applejack was married to the earth and bound to its limitations. She had no hope in traversing the forest at the same pace as Rainbow, meaning that she would be slowing down the show. A small part of Applejack envied her pegasus friend; but this was not a new feeling. Dwarfing it was a larger part of her that did not care about reaching Luna in a hurry. The prickle of ice carried by the wind's fell breath further tried Applejack's thin resolve and blackened her spirits.

"Serves her right," Applejack thought, "If she needs me so badly, she can just sit her royal keister on her throne in Everfree 'til Ah get there! She's a pony no better than anypony else...goddess or not, Lady Justice sees not a single difference. Why should Ah? Why should Rainbow? But she can't tell, she can't care, how could she? Rainbow has the memory of a goldfish swimin' in a glass of whiskey an' 'cause of that, a little firework show from Luna can win her over. Ain't make one bit of sense!"

As they walked, her hate for Luna bled into her misgivings about Rainbow Dash. The notion that Rainbow could follow and trust Luna over a superficial display of power, one that should be unsurprising for a goddess, was insanely incredulous. Even Twilight, Luna's principle advocate, was not so confident in her convictions concerning the princess. Applejack was sure that Rainbow had some demented and misguided sense of loyalty for Luna, despite everything they knew about her and everything she did to usurp Celestia. Yes, the princess she should be fighting for, the one deserving of their respect and admiration. Whatever Rainbow thought about loyalty, it definitely didn't add up.

No, it wasn't just that. It was downright stupid.

Watching the green leaves of Everfree torn from their branches as they succumbed to the blanketing snow, Applejack kept pressing forward in accordance to the pegasus' guiding flight path. Coming upon a crossroad, Rainbow Dash paused and looked nervously at both directions.

"What's the matter Rainbow, did ya get us lost yet?" Applejack said dismissively, "or did ya remember somethin' important too late?"

Though her words were delivered casually, they were laced with a venomous spite. Gone was any shred of Applejack playfulness. In its stead, the earth pony's famous passive-aggressiveness had come out in full force, much to Rainbow Dash's misfortune. Surprised a bit by her friend's unwarranted vitriol, the pegasus thought it best to just write it off as just another jab...well, a particularly poignant one that is.

"Yeah, AJ, there's no problem, I was just checkin' to make sure that we're still headed in the right way..." Rainbow said before muttering, "...just don't get your lasso in a knot, geez..."

"What?"

"Uh, nothing. Hey, I was just wondering if we could maybe speed it up a bit. How 'bout it AJ?"

"Easy for you to say, hun." Applejack said in much the same manner as before,"It's another day at the job for you, but Ah'm not built for blizzards. Don't get your feathers in a bunch about it, you hear? I'm doin' my best...honest."

The obvious lie made Rainbow sigh in frustration. The junior speedster wished Twilight was there to deal with their stubborn friend, especially so now that Applejack's attitude was becoming not so much annoying now as it was just plain irritating.

"_Ah Twi_," Rainbow thought as she led on, "_I'd be at your side in a blink of an eye if it weren't for Turtle Jack holding up the show here! I know she's dragging her hooves now, I mean, yeah, it's freakin' cold, no lie, but AJ''s the toughest earth pony I know! What she's sayin' is a load of horse apples, I see her clear through mountains of snow every year! This is peanuts in comparison!_"

Further down the path a new juncture emerged presenting Rainbow Dash with three potential routes. Unlike the first, the pegasus was gripped by a troubling uncertainty that did not go unnoticed by her reluctant companion.

"Well this is swell," Applejack groaned bitterly as she waited for the pegasus to make up her mind, "You said we were in a rush, but we're doin' a whole lotta standin' now instead! Can we please get a move on before we turn into a couple of snowponies?"

Gritting her teeth in a futile attempt to mask her frustration, Rainbow responded the best she could.

"Just give me a sec, would you? Geez, this isn't easy. I don't walk around Everfree in my spare time, it's impossible to know every nook and cranny of this stupid forest!"

"Yer right 'bout that, Rainbow, you wouldn't 'cause yer too busy takin' naps." Applejack replied unforgivably, "Ya know, you give Ditzy Doo a whole lot of grief for not havin' an ounce of direction, but yer no better when push comes to shove."

"Hey!" Rainbow shouted, her sensitive pride no longer willing to put up with Applejack, "What are you tryin' to say? I'm Rainbow Dash, the fastest pegasus to come out of Cloudsdale..."

"Without graduatin'." Applejack finished for the pegasus, "Yer lazy bones and non-stop day dreamin' held ya back, Ah mean, even Ditzy passed her exams."

"...are you sayin' I'm dumb, AJ?"

"Well Ah'm not sayin' yer a prodigy." the earth pony replied coldly, "Listen,yer talent will only get you so far Rainbow, ya need to work at it. Life's not just 'bout trainin' to fly fast, it's 'bout doin' yer own thinkin' and becomin' yer own pony. Flight school was supposed to help that, but you flunked out."

Applejack's words carried more force than any wind. Each felt like a sharp blow to the ribs, leaving Rainbow flustered, angry, and at loss as to what to say back. She wanted to give her friend a taste of her own medicine but was unable to think of anything, wit never being her forte. Defenseless and exposed, Applejack's cruel and brutal honesty ravaged Rainbow's pride mercilessly.

"Well, um, well, that's got nothing to do with anything!" the pegasus sputtered, "Don't try to tear me down just because you've got a thing against Luna..."

"Mah thing against Luna?" Applejack replied, her anger now quite visible "No, it's yer thing for Luna that's the problem! How can you be so...well, so darn happy followin' her!?"

"I, I never said I'd follow her anywhere, I...I'm here for..." Rainbow stuttered in defense, her fiery temper subdued by Applejack's own intense display.

"Rainbow, Ah've known you fer a good time now," Applejack continued, her tone unchanging, "And when somepony gains your respect, you know darn well you'd fly right into a dragon's mouth for 'em in a heartbeat without questionin' or thinkin' about the consequences. Nah, you let us do that for you."

"That's 'cause...'cause," Rainbow responded, "well, I mean, she's a freakin' princess Applejack, c'mon! She has to be a good guy deep down."

"So what if she's a princess?" Applejack fired back, "When you first laid eyes on her "highness", she was a psychotic witch who you were ready to kick all the way to Timbucktu! But hey, add a little title to the front of her name and the same pony becomes a saintly do-good-er out to save the world she had wanted to leave in darkness!"

"It's not like that at all..."

"It is like that Rainbow, what you think about a pony is just that shallow. Remember when the Wonderbolts were holdin' try-outs and Rapid Fire got in? You hated him, and not us' because he got a shot at yer dream. He was a no-good bully who tormented the lot of you lil' pegasi in Cloudsdale with his devilish pranks. But as soon as he made it on the team, you found yerself another idol to drool over."

"...he wasn't just a bully, you know" Rainbow weakly defended,"he was always kinda cool in a loveable jerkish sort of way..."

"Save it Rainbow." Applejack interrupted again, "No matter which way you spell it, you adore the fella because of a cheap spandex uniform, not for who he is deep down at heart. The same goes for Luna, you care more about what she's called than who she really is!"

"That's, that's no-not stupid!" Rainbow shouted, quivering on the verge of tears, "You're not being fair, AJ!"

"No, Ah'm just right, that's all." Applejack coldly replied, "Rainbow Ah can't follow you. Ah just can't trust your judgment anymore than Ah can lasso and hogtie it. Ah'll find my own path to Everfree Castle..."

"Applejack, please, I remember now, I promise!" Rainbow broke in, "I'm not stupid, I'm not! We can get there together, don't leave!"

Turning her back on Rainbow Dash, Applejack took the right pathway and trudged on forth without looking back.

"Hey wait! Hold on AJ! That's not the way to Everfree Castle, I've never even been down that way before, who knows what's down there!? C'mon, we gotta stick together, this forest is full of monsters!"

"If you had half a brain, Rainbow, you'd hush up and follow me!" Applejack shouted back, not wavering from her decision for a second, " This path is the widest and best kept! Looks like a castle road if there ever was one!"

As the pegasi were connected body and soul to the heavens above, so too were Applejack and her kind to the earth below. Pushing away the new fallen snow, she needed little light to tell that the gravel seemed finer and the ground more firm under hoof. Rainbow Dash, however, only saw dirt no different from the path she desired to take. Desperate to sway Applejack away from her choice, Rainbow's bold spirit emerged once more to lock horns with the earth pony's adamant stubbornness, but the fresh wounds it had sustained could not be hidden under such a thin veneer of confidence.

"AJ, that's not the right way to our friends, I'm telling you!" Rainbow yelled, her voice trembling as a violent gust blew through the forest boughs, "Listen to me, c'mon! They're over this way!"

But Applejack didn't hear her over the wind's fell cry and continued onward undeterred. As ice and snow buffeted her face, she found herself not caring if Rainbow were to follow her. This was her path, the right path; she would walk it even if it meant going alone. If Rainbow was so sure of herself, she would find a way to Everfree Castle on her own. With her speed, recklessness, and dumb luck, the pegasus could easily brave the forest by herself. Applejack knew that's what her friend

was thinking anyway and couldn't agree more; besides, the frustrated earth pony couldn't stand to look at Rainbow anymore. Whenever she did, Applejack could only see a crude caricature of the pegasus she loved so dearly. It pained her not only to see Rainbow's loyal heart warped by her naïveté, but her devotion to the mystique of night incarnate; Princess Luna. In a strange way, running away from Rainbow was a final act of resistance against this goddess of despair. If she was fated to help the villain, so be it, but it would be on her terms. Not Rainbow's, not Twilight's, and most definitely not Luna's.

Yes, her own; no others'.

The novel notion thawed her frozen limbs and drove her deeper into the heart of the forest. Without thinking, Applejack found herself building up speed against the wind's current until at last she was at full gallop. With abandon she charged forward, not out of urgency to reach the castle but to flee from the sickening hatred she felt coursing through her. In this sense, the once repressive cold had become liberating; every chilling breath she drew no longer filled her with dread. Rather this union between the freezing air and her burning heart produced an exhilarating wave of energy to take hold of her senses and push her to the limit.

Coming upon a clearing, Applejack stopped to catch her breath and noticed a large erratic situated in its midst. The remnant of an age long past, it stood monolithic and proud as it endured the vicious winds in no different a manner than it had the past few millenia. Weathered but massive nonetheless, its summit offered an ideal lookout that just managed to pierce the umbrage of Everfree.

"Well, Ah'll be darned, a little luck comes mah way." Applejack thought with little enthusiasm, "Ah'll see how far the castle is just up ahead, won't take long to find out."

Climbing the boulder, Applejack cast her eyes across the vast expanse of Everfree. Expectantly she looked for the dark turrets of the castle in the black of night until a fiery glint caught her eye for but a second. Looking westward in the direction of her intended path, the earth pony could just barely make out the outline of Luna's citadel from afar.

Applejack's pride swelled at the sight. From atop her perch, she shouted against the wind and snow.

"Ha! Ah knew it! Ah knew Ah was right! See, a good bit of common sense and responsibility can get you far, Rainbow! You hear?! Ah was right!"

In that moment, the farm pony felt unconquerable as she stood upon the rock's precipice, her proud smile seemingly goading fate's hand to do its worst. Tolerance being no virtue of destiny, it responded in kind with a sudden powerful updraft. Its indiscriminate touch knowing no limitations, it snatched and carried Applejack's hat away into the forest.

"No, no, no!" she cried aloud in dismay, "How could Ah be so careless? Shoot, get back here now!"

Jumping from top the giant stone back down to the earth without so much as a flinch, Applejack's eyes were locked on the faint shadow of her hat. Cruelly the wind toyed with her by floating the old heirloom in the air just above her, tantalizing the earth pony to no end. As the hat crossed the pathway and entered into the thick, snow-covered brush of Everfree, Applejack gave no thought to pursuing the ragged piece of felt. Breaking branches from their limbs with ease as she charged, Applejack felt little pain as she was torn at by thorns and ice. Nothing could distract her from that most cherished possession, the honor of father's memory. Applejack was bound heart, soul, and mind to the preservation of what very little she had left from him, that what she still needed from him.

At last, it seemed the wind had grown weary with its little game. Dropping the hat neatly before the entrance of a small cave, the wind dissipated as if to allow the humbled pony the right to retrieve the thing without interference.

"Thank mah lucky stars!" Applejack cried out "Thank Celestia, wherever she is! Thank, well..."

Pausing only for a seconds Applejack's doubt was overpowered by the intense relief and joy she felt.

"Heck, why not? Thank Luna and her crummy witchcraft too! Ah thank-"

A slight tremor in the earth shook Applejack from her cathartic adulation. Puzzled, she took a single step forward and felt another vibration. To her horror, Applejack beheld a creature born of the blackest nightmares emerge from its hidden burrow; the tarantulion. Three times the size of a pony, the giant arachnid was covered in a thick coat of bristling, toxic hairs. Around its head extended particularly long strands that gave the death trap the deceptive appearance of a lion's regal mane. The monster bore razor sharp claws at the end of each leg, ideal for shredding any unfortunate fauna that may stumble above its feasting hall. Just above the beast's tremendous, skull-crushing jaws, eight grotesque, unblinking eyes rested and stared intently at Applejack until it caught sight of the hat before its trapdoor. Content with taking it as a prize, the tarantulion ceased the hat and retreated back into its burrow to continue preparing its den for its long winter sleep.

Applejack stood in dead silence unable and unwilling to shift her gaze away from the beast's lair. A cold emptiness now pervaded throughout her being as if her heart had instead been torn away from her. As the farm pony trembled and fell to her knees, a fresh stream of hot tears trickled down the side of her face. The despair she felt was not just for her loss, it was also because she deserved it.

"What have I done worthy to wear pa's hat anyway?" she questioned, "I didn't listen to mah brother, I abandoned Rainbow a few miles back, and I disrespected them both because I let mah arrogance best me again...What would pa say if he saw me now, alone in the middle of the most dangerous forest in Equestria? 'Ya reap what ya sow now, Applejack, you don't grow apples from oranges', that's what."

Closing her eyes, Applejack reflected on the events that had led her before the tarantulion's den, a thousand thoughts passing through her mind in the brevity of seconds. She remembered how moved she was by Big Mac's comforting wisdom, but she was far from Fluttershy's cozy bedroom. In the heart of a blizzard, his words seemed to have lost all meaning or use. Applejack wasn't a sage, talk of how life should be was always secondary to how things are and, as she endured the icy slings and arrows of nature, the earth pony found very little reason to change her attitude. Even now Applejack continued to grapple with the story of her father's death, trying to make sense of it all in relation to her own struggle. She had been so young when it happened that over the years he had become a sort of legend to her, an intangible paragon of virtue pure of sin and selfishness.

"Pa was a humble pony who gave everything to do what was right." Applejack thought, "Ah tried to be like him, Ah've tried mah whole life, but when it all boils down to it and things are lookin' tough, what am Ah? A no good coward? But how can Ah do the right thing by doing what Ah know feels wrong? Am Ah even makin' any sense now?"

Turning her teary eyes to the star-lit heavens above, Applejack made a final plea to the bygone spirit of her father. In her mind, she knew nothing would come of it, but she needed release somehow.

"Ah'll make you proud, pa, Ah swear Ah'll find a way, just you see...please, give me another chance!"

"You got it boss!"

Shocked to hear a response, Applejack stood up straight only to feel a rush of air pass just above her ear. Landing before the mouth of the cave, Rainbow Dash turned back to smile at her friend.

"Miss me? You gave me one heck of a race Applejack, but you can't get rid of me that easy!"

As she said this, a red glow emanated from around the pegasus' neck; it was the light of loyalty shining brightly in the darkest of places. Though overjoyed to see her friend return, Applejack felt a twinge of fear creep down her spine as she noticed just where Rainbow Dash was standing.

"Rainbow, get away from there! It ain't safe there's..."

"A big ugly spider. I know, no big deal." she replied. Knocking the top off the trapdoor, Rainbow taunted the busy tarantulion."Hey you dumb hunk of husk! I've been stamping around your little dirt hole for a full ten seconds now! How is it that the world's slowest spider is still alive with a time like that? Do you have your mom down there spoon feeding you flies or something!?"

Of course, the content of her words meant very little to the tarantulion but the vibrations they sent through its home incensed it to no end. Though not hungry, a final snack before hibernation seemed to be in order. Like lightning the beast struck from below, but it was hardly a match for Rainbow's agility. Deftly dodging the attack, Rainbow Dash shouted at the arachnid

"That's it? Let me show you how its done, itsy bitsy!"

Building up speed before charging right back at the tarantulion, Rainbow smashed one of its legs with terrifying impact. Slightly crippled, the beast let out a guttural roar before slashing at Rainbow with its claws. Surprised to see a spider with such a dangerous appendage, the pegasus barely managed to escape the brunt of its swing. But a scratch from a full-grown and angry tarantulion can hardly be dismissed, as Rainbow soon learned as a warm trickle of blood split down her face and into her eyes.

"Rainbow, leave it be and let's get outta here!" Applejack desperately appealed, "It ain't worth it!"

Briefly turning back to her friend before returning to the fray, Rainbow Dash simply grinned.

"No worries AJ, a little bug bite's not going to keep me down for long, I got this!"

Flying into the air, Rainbow Dash rode the winds powerful current to achieve breakneck speeds that would crush a lesser aviator. In a rainbow flash, the pegasus assaulted her foe with a barrage of blows. Shrieking, the tarantulion recoiled and bided its time, waiting for its prey to leave herself open. As it endured the dizzying pummeling from above, the beast subtly shed its toxic hairs and dispersed them into the air. Little to Rainbow's knowledge, the irritating pricks she felt was the sensation of a debilitating venom entering her veins. It didn't take long before the pegasus started feeling fuzzy-headed and tired but continued her attack unabated. As she pulled away from her latest strike, she felt one of the tarantulion's claw grasp her. Slamming Rainbow into the earth and pinning her firmly down, the beast crawled over its victim in eager preparation for the coup de grâce. Struggling in vain to free herself, Rainbow saw no clear way out.

"Claws off the wings, you damned dirty bug!" she cursed, no longer resisting,"Keep it up and you'll find your ugly face getting bucked hard!"

The tarantulion ignored the unintelligible growls of its prey and lowered its head for the kill. Clicking its mandibles wildly, a premature drop of venom drooled from its exposed fangs. As the lethal rope of toxin threatened to graze her face, Rainbow Dash did not flinch or cower out of fear and hopelessness. No, that wouldn't be much like Rainbow Dash at all; she would rather piss death off with a snide smirk and a dismissive laugh.

"Ha! Your funeral, I hope you like Apples..."

Suddenly, from out of the shadows, Applejack's powerful hooves emerged to ream the beast square in the face.

"...'cause you just got a mouth-full!"

Gripped by immeasurable pain, the tarantulion screeched and reared up on its hind-legs, exposing its sensitive abdomen to the courageous and cocky pegasus. Recovering with a quick flip, Rainbow delivered a swift aerial blow to the beast that sent it falling backwards. Flailing madly, the tarantulion rolled itself back on to its feet and fled into the forest. Though the ancient arachnid had abandoned its burrow to its better, there festered no semblance of resentment in the tarantulion's simple mind. The laws of nature could not be challenged, might was always right.

"That's right, run!" Rainbow shouted weakly, "Tell your monster pals that no one, and I mean no one, hurts my friends! Doesn't matter how or why...doesn't...matter..."

Seeing Rainbow's knees wobble, Applejack jumped to support her friend before she could fall.

"Rainbow, that was the gall darn dumbest thing you've ever done!" Applejack cried aloud, her stern voice trembling, "You scared me dead stiff, I was so worried I'd lose you over a stupid old hat! If you had...had died for that hat Ah...don't think Ah could ever live with mahself...

"Applejack, I didn't risk my wings just for your hat and you know it. I did what I did because I knew how important it was to you, I knew that it was your dad's. No matter what you want to call it now, that hat is part of who you are and where you come from. You're my best friend, Applejack, I...I love you, you know? I'd sacrifice anything to defend even the smallest bit of what makes you so special, so strong, so incredibly awesome..."

"Rainbow, how can you say that after the way I treated you?" Applejack sniffed, shaking her head "Ah don't deserve your love, you shouldn't love me now. Ah wanted to hurt you, Ah did hurt you! How can you forgive me so fast? Ah can't even forgive mahself! It doesn't make an ounce of sense!"

"Heh, well, what can I say?" Rainbow replied giving a fatigued chuckle, "Sure you pulled some pretty sharp punches, and yeah, it really did hurt to hear the honest truth. But hey, I'm your friend, I'd never ditch you because of some stupid fight. I mean, how much sense would it make for me to hate you? What good would come from that? None."

As she spoke, Rainbow's voice became noticeably raspy and cracked as though parched. Trying again to stand on her own four hooves, the pegasus stumbled back into Applejack's embrace.

"Ha, oops, slipped up again. Thanks AJ..."

"Hush hun, I'm going to get us to shelter, just hold on for little while."

Hoisting the pegasus on to her back, Applejack carried Rainbow Dash to the cave the tarantulion had once used as bait for weary animals. Though its mouth was wide, the inside of the cave was quite small. Lying Rainbow down on the cold rock, Applejack looked at her friend with subtle awe. Though Rainbow's strength had waned, the light of her element shone ever the brighter, revealing not just the walls of the cave, but revealing the full extent of her injuries as well. Apart from the bloody memento the tarantulion's claws had carved into he left-side of her face, the poisonous hairs of the beast had inflamed the cyan pegasus' skin, leaving red scratches across her body. Her feathers were ruffled, dirty, and covered with frost while her left wing hung limply as though broken. The despair Applejack had felt upon seeing her brother's broken body returned with devastating force, causing new tears to well and new sorrows to blossom.

"Ah'm so, so sorry Rainbow, this is all my fault!" Applejack cried, "Ah was just so full of myself and Ah didn't listen to you proper...it's like Ah'll never learn! It's so hard to change for the better Rainbow, Ah don't know if Ah can do it!"

"Applejack, give yourself a break!" Rainbow returned, trying her best to ignore her own poor condition, "I know you're super responsible and everything, but you gotta stop acting like you've got the whole world on your shoulders! Besides, I like to take credit for my own near-death experiences, thank you very much. I got a little beat up because I chose to fight a giant spider, nothing you said or did made me do it. "

"...but that stupid hat...it still wasn't worth the risk!"

"Oh really?" Rainbow smiled weakly, "Take a look at yourself and tell me that with a straight face."

Checking to see what exactly her friend meant, Applejack was surprised to find her body covered in nasty cuts and large bruises.

"Ha, you bulldozed a good chunk of Everfree to chase that 'stupid' hat. To be straight with ya Applejack, you don't look much better than me right now...Let's face it, the only thing that kept you from kicking that spider out of its hole and getting your hat back was that you were alone and scared. I would be too, AJ. But when I faced that slimy bug, I knew you were there at my side. If things started looking bad, I knew that I could count on you to make sure that I didn't end up as spider chow."

"Rainbow...I guess yer right, but how can you be so confident about it all? Ah didn't deserve yer trust at all..."

"Geez, cut it out with the humility thing already. It's getting old fast, okay?" Rainbow interrupted, "Anyway, it's like your brother was saying. When everything is on the table and the stakes are high, the only thing we've really got is each other. I know your trust issues with Luna are really screwing with you today, but you gotta see that sometimes respect and faith in a pony doesn't need to be earned. Sometimes, it's just gotta be expected, you know?"

Applejack closed her eyes and sighed.

"No, I know, but...but...I can't ignore the past..."

"Well, that's gotta be important too, but we can't live like we're stuck in time. You said it's hard to change for the better, but it's possible because we have our amazing friends to help us. I mean, without you guys I'd probably just be some loud-mouthed, selfish bully flying around Cloudsdale doing nothing but causing problems. And look at Twi, she's come a long way from being an anti-social shut-in, don't you think?"

"Ah do..."

"Well then, as your friend, it's my job to help you be the best pony you can. Just give me a sec and I'll be right back!"

Applejack was astonished to see her friend confidently rise to her hooves, something just ten minutes ago seemed nearly impossible. With a hobbled stride, Rainbow ducked into the empty burrow at the cave entrance and emerged a few moments later covered in web. Atop her head was Applejack's beloved hat, freshly rescued from the walls of the tarantulion's lair. Moved beyond words, Applejack smiled warmly as a single tear escaping her eyes.

"It fits you better than it does me." Applejack said, "Yer brave and loving, Rainbow, just like mah pa was."

"No offense Applejack, but it's not really my style. It works a whole lot better for you." Rainbow chuckled, taking the hat off and placing it back on Applejack's head, "See? And hey, don't sell yourself short, it took a lot of guts to come save my flank too. Your dad would be proud AJ, 'cause if there's anypony like him, it's definitely his kid."

Applejack lunged at Rainbow, hugging her tightly in loving appreciation. As she held the pegasus closely, the grateful earth pony could feel the warmth emanating from Rainbow's elemental jewel pass into her. Soon, the cold frost that had touched her heart had been cast out.

"Thank you Rainbow, thank you so much for everything, you really are the truest, most loyal friend a pony could ever ask for. Ah can't tell you just how important and special you are to me. Ah was lost and confused, but you've helped me find mah way again!"

As Applejack nuzzled up against her, Rainbow Dash was overjoyed to see that she had really made a difference in the earth pony's life. The brash pegasus never thought she was too good with handling other ponies' issues and definitely didn't consider herself a well of wisdom. Yet here she was dishing some out; such is the extraordinary power of friendship that her unknown potential could be tapped.

Though she had done a lot of good, Rainbow knew that there was still one agonizing thorn buried deep in Applejack's heart that needed to be removed. Always one for a risk, the pegasus was now confident that she was the one for the job.

Momentarily breaking their embrace, Rainbow pulled away from Applejack and looked deeply into her eyes.

"When I heard you ask for a second chance, I didn't think about it at all. It didn't matter to me if you deserved it or not, everypony should be able to prove themselves, at least that's what I think. Nopony is above forgiveness AJ...not even Luna. You need to forgive her, AJ! It's the only way you can ever forgive yourself."

Applejack turned herself away from Rainbow's gaze, ashamed and angry at herself.

"...Yes, it's just...Ah can't do it..."

"Why, is it really that hard to believe that Luna has changed?"

"...Ah can't let go of my hate for her...for Luna. She only leaves a trail of misery behind her, how can it be that she's changed? Luna is the night, Rainbow. She is this darkness, this mystery, this...this _terror _that surrounds us right now. How can honest good come from that? How can I be expected to forget what she is? It would take a miracle for me to believe in Luna..."

"A miracle?" Rainbow interrupted, "Well you know me, I'm always up for a challenge!"

Focusing as hard as possible, Rainbow began flapping her right wing while her crippled left wing twitched uselessly.

"Stop that Rainbow, it looks painful as all get up!" Applejack said with concern.

"Ugh, no pain, no game!" the tenacious mare replied with a wink,"It's really not that bad, I'll show ya!"

Applejack cringed at her friend's futile effort, the tortuous sight making her conscious of her own injuries. After a brief while, the earth pony heard the obscene cracking of bones and immediately worried for Rainbow's well-being. Her fears were soon dashed when, to her complete amazement, she saw the gutsy pegasus take to the air. Hovering with a wry smile on her face, Rainbow Dash laughed at the sight of Applejack's jaw drop.

"Ha, good as new, what did I tell you?"

"But...but...your wing was more busted than a bucket of juicing grapes!" Applejack sputtered, "And yer face, it's, it's all patched up too!"

Applejack pointed to the gruesome slash, and indeed, gone was any trace of blood or rash. Only a faint scar marked where claw and flash had met.

"Really? Sweet, it kinda stung a bit," she responded, the strength of her voice now restored, "Hey, you look a little less bad yourself!"

Checking herself over, Applejack watched as a small cut on her leg healed over, but not without a surprising release of pain. The earth pony simply stared in dismay as she slowly realized the implications.

"She wasn't lying." Applejack muttered under her breath.

"What's that?"

"Luna...she was being honest, but Ah...Ah didn't want to believe her, it all sounded like a bucket of hooey...but Ah guess we really did steal her immortality from her...

"Wait, wait, wait, slow down." Rainbow said, waving her hooves wildly, "We're immortal? That is so cool!"

"Not exactly sugar cube, we still got pretty roughed up fighting that spider, but...wait. Twilight never told you what this is all about?"

"Nope!"

"Then how did you know you'd get better..."

"I didn't, but it never hurts to keep on trying and having a bit of faith," Rainbow replied,"...well, maybe it did a little bit this time around. But hey, whatever works!"

Turning and looking out at the radiant silver moon resting across the horizon, Applejack closed her teary eyes and sat in silence as a bitter war raged in her heart and mind. Her hate remained, but its roots withered in the light of faith and reason. As she tried to purge the loathsome cancer, Applejack's thoughts strayed back to her brother's life stories. Once dead and divorced from everything the earth pony understood, Applejack's trial through wind and snow as well as beast and demon had breathed new meaning into Big Mac's words.

_"AJ, there's no way fer us to understand exactly Princess Luna's motives or goals. She's a goddess after all, so much depends on her. She's powerful beyond our knowin', so she has to be careful with what she says, one word could mean the difference between life and death. All we can do is have faith in her, jus' as we have faith in our friends. When it all comes down to it, that's all we've got."_

As she meditated on this, she felt Rainbow warmly embrace her in solemn support. Opening her eyes, Applejack found the strength to cast out her hate. With a deep breath of winter's cold air, Applejack felt cleansed and absolved of her weakness. Never before had she felt such relief as respect replaced hatred, although its shadow would never entirely be lifted from her. But in that moment she felt renewed, perhaps even like if it was a normal day with normal expectations.

She was at last ready to trust and help Princess Luna not because she was led on a leash by destiny, but because she wanted to. It may be stupid, but her personal sacrifice echoed the ethos of both her brother and father; one family bonded together by honor, humility, and swift service to those in need.

"Well Rainbow," Applejack spoke up, her voice filled with passion and promise, "it looks about time Ah got over my sobbin' fit and get back to work! Saddle up! Ah've let mah friends down too much today and Ah won't tolerate it no more, so let's get a roll on!"

"That's the Applejack I know!" Rainbow shouted, "All right, Everfree Castle, here we come!"

As they left the cave, the duo didn't get far before Applejack heard the ominous sound of breaking branches coming from the east. The threat of the tarantulion returning with a vengeance seemed very real, especially since the wind could not be blamed. Curiously, its intensity had diminished since the fight with the spider. Thus was the unpredictability of Everfree.

"Ugh, Rainbow, please tell me you hear that." Applejack said, looking at Rainbow with uncertainty.

"Hear wha-"

Out of the darkness of the forest, a shadowy figure bolted straight into Rainbow, causing both to fall to the ground. By the light of Rainbow's jewel, Applejack was surprised to find no monster, but rather a black pegasus covered in bandages, bruises, and cuts.

"Hey buddy, watch it!" Rainbow shouted as she got back up and dusted her feathers off, "What the hay are you doing in Everfree anyway, are you crazy or something?"

"That voice..." the pegasus grunted, "...That voice! You can't be..."

Realizing just who it was he crashed into, the stranger's red eyes opened in horror.

" Rainbow Dash!"

"Of course I'm...wait, old on," Rainbow Dash said, "Nightshade, is that you?"

"Nightshade! Lt. Nightshade? The pegasus that wrangled me in the mud?" Applejack asked, "What in blazes is he doing here with no armor wandering around like Granny Smith after a hot cup of special cider!?"

The guard got to his hooves and looked at Applejack, his sensitive eyes straining to get an ounce of good detail in the dark.

"Applejack?! You were under the custody too! Damn it, damn it, damn it! How could Lightning let this happen?"

"Hey settle down there, partner." Applejack said, trying to calm the volatile soldier "You don't look all that swell, maybe you should come with us."

"To the moon I will!" Nightshade sneered, shaking Applejack's hoof off him, "I'd never follow a bunch of witches to their coven! You won't fool me, the lot of you will pay for what you've done!"

"Yeah, yeah, I've heard..." Rainbow said, thinking back to the 'race', "Don't be so sore about losing, geez..."

" Damn, they're all here in Everfree!" Nightshade shouted, "They're all here! But this isn't the end, I'll bring the whole bloody hive down on this forest in a blink of an eye! That's a promise!"

Before another word could be said, Nightshade, in spite of his injuries, dashed madly into the forest at a speed that would put Rainbow to shame. Such was his haste that the snow melted in his wake, leaving a trail cleared of both brush and ice behind him.

"Did you get that Rainbow?" Applejack said, "Our friends aren't at the castle. You were right, well, in a way. Anyhow they must be where this Nightshade fella came from, c'mon! This guy means business, did you see that? We best get a move on, and quick-like!"

Rainbow just stared down Nightshade's path having just witnessed the fastest running pegasus she had ever seen.

"Rainbow! Snap out of it and come on!"

"Uh, yeah!" Rainbow shook herself, "V_amanos, allons-_, and all that other good stuff! We're outta here!"

As the friends shot down the eastward path out of the heart of the forest, they failed to take notice of a red bird perched above the cave quietly priming its plumage before taking off once more into the night sky.

–


	11. Chapter 11

Frigid Winds and Burning Hearts

Part 11

"That, Pinkie, is why you can't reason with the guard. They already have their own..."

"But Twilight..." Pinkie began to reply before taking notice of Twilight's exhaustion. As Fluttershy wrapped a warm blanket around the unicorn and let her rest not to far from where Nightshade had lain in recovery, Pinkie felt a bit of fatigue herself. The closest thing she got to sleep in the past twenty-four hours was a very brief snooze at her loft in Sugar Cube Corner; she had spent most of the previous night welcoming the Royal Guard to Ponyville and the entire day on the run. Yet here Pinkie was, wide-eyed and pulsing with excitement while Twilight lightly snored as she fell into a deep sleep. Most would attribute the bubbly mare's stamina to the inexplicable eccentricities of her personality, but they would only be partially right. Pinkie fed off the energy of others like a lovable, poofy tape worm; the enthusiasm, joy, fear and despair of others served to electrify and excite every one of her senses. In other words, talking and interacting with other ponies was one of two natural highs that put an undying spring in her step.

The other came from an unsettling intake of sugar and sweets that would make even Filly Wonka cringe.

Far more important to Pinkie's relationships was the latter drive, especially in regards to Twilight Sparkle. It appeared that much of the time the private student, more so than anypony else, had a difficult time taking her seriously. Between the two existed a seemingly unbridgeable divide that lent itself to frequent misunderstandings and discrepancies that upset Twilight's scientific sensibilities. Though the two were fast friends, Pinkie sometimes felt that Twilight did not appreciate or respect her as much as she did Applejack or Rarity. Admittedly, it was hard to totally blame Twilight; Pinkie did pull some crazy antics out from time to time. Nonetheless, Twilight wrongfully often treated the younger pony as immature and an unpredictable liability. The parasprite debacle illustrated perfectly this case so common in Pinkie's life. Although Twilight gave a report to Princess Celestia, Pinkie knew that learning something and living it were two very different things.

Well, if Twilight wasn't going to listen and help her out, Pinkie knew somepony who could...

Closing her eyes in deep reflection, Pinkie's conscious split along three lines of emotion and thought as she entered into a world within the eye's mind. Being a well of endless creativity, Pinkie attributed to each a metaphysical persona and appearance. Slowly, three figures took shape around a similarly conjured table. Each bore an identical physical likeness to Pinkie Pie, yet differed wildly in their manner of dress. The first wore a shabby brown coat over a green sweater vest complete with a red bowtie; a questionable choice in fashion that would most likely make Rarity nauseous. However, her dignified expression suggested a degree of class and prestige that would distract even the famed dressmaker away from her costume. Sipping from a cup of tea, the figment shook her head in disappointment.

"Well Pinkie old girl," she sighed, speaking in the Princess' Equestrian, "that little chat with her majesty's guard didn't go over quite so well. Perhaps you should have featured yourself more prominently in the discussion, you knew more about the lieutenant and his sort than anypony in this hut."

"I wanted to try, Professor Tacky Slacks," Pinkie replied, "but Twilight kinda took the reigns and I listened. I mean, she's the most gifted student in the whole country and, I'm...I'm just an apprentice at a bakery..."

"Baloney!"

Interrupted, Pinkie turned to face the second apparition. Wearing a white oxford, a pair of suspenders, and a black fedora with a press badge firmly secured, this doppelganger gave Pinkie a stern look before continuing.

"That's right, a load of first-degree hogwash if I ever heard it!" she said in a thick Manehattan accent, "Trust me, I'm Flashy Scribbles, ace reporter! You're lookin' at the best spin-doc this side of Canterlot, the number one 'got ya!' journalist in Equestria! I gotta seventh sense for the ol' bull, I know my way about it like PC knows hers around the sun!"

As she spoke, the exuberant reporter banged at the table and made a series of unnecessary, hyperbolic gestures to get her point across.

"Look kiddo, sure Twi's gotta lot of smarts, but what good is the old noggin when you lose your head? Nada, zero, zilch, zippo, that's what!"

"I concur with Ms. Scribbles," Professor Tacky added calmly, "Your friend is not a diplomat by any stretch of the imagination. Chastising an officer for being morally bankrupt can hardly be considered a proper opening to a meaningful and productive dialogue."

"You bet you're right, Professor Stale-butt!" Flashy shouted, startling the professor with a slap across the back. With a jolt and a yelp, Tacky lost hold of the teacup that had been carefully cradled between her hooves, spilling it all over the table.

"I've been in the whole editorializing biz for awhile rookie and let me tell ya, when you're trying to change minds you never go straight for the throat like some crazed timber wolf in a chicken coop. But I've got papers to sell, darn it, I need to throw the pack a nice, juicy breast once in awhile..."

"Ms. Scribbles... " the professor interrupted, giving the reporter an ugly eye.

"...okay, a lot. But hey, they eat that stuff up like hotcakes! But watch out for those chickens, they get pretty nasty if you poke one of 'em a bit too hard..."

"Ms. Scribbles! Please just voice your opinion so that we may get on with this council meeting. Now is not the time to talk of the questionable practices of your profession."

"...right. Pinkie, kid, it's really easy to draw a line in the sand and fight for that patch of dirty dirt. It's a whole 'nother ball game getting somepony to cross over that line. It'll be tough and they'll come kicking and screaming, but you're the best pony for the job."

"For once she's right, Pinkie." the professor added, "Twilight Sparkle, though gifted she may be, had no intention of listening to Nightshade anymore than he did for her. But you know, you understand the plight of the guard as well as Luna's. You have the spirit and that, that well, pizazz , Pinkie, you have what it takes to make peace between the princess and the captain."

"I tried that song and dance already in Appleloosa," Pinkie frowned, "You gotta share, you gotta care...remember? It only made things worse. What do you think I should do, Leclop?"

At the mention of the council's third member, the other other two brought their hooves to their faces in silent disapproval. Standing far away from the table, another Pinkie look-alike pressed against a wall of invisible glass.

Yes, Jacqueline Leclop, Pinkie's most trusted spiritual guide, was a mime.

Wearing the famed standard fare of her trade, the performer wore a black and white striped shirt complete with matching face paint and black beret. Continuing in silence, Leclop pulled out all the tired clichés of her art from the rope tug to the robot. What it lacked in originality it made up in her impressive bodily dexterity, timing, and transitioning from one act to the next. Watching the unfolding pattern of the mime's movements, Pinkie rubbed her chin in thought until she at last the translation of motion to language clicked in her head.

"You're right Leclop!" she burst out, "That last one was a total fluke, I didn't know jack-diddly about Appleloosa and got over my head. But not this time! All right, now I''ve gotta stop talking about talking and get to doing the talking! It'll be risky, maybe even scary, but a little laugh goes a long way and I got a million in my bag and a couple up my sleeve!"

Looking at her hooves, the pony smiled.

"Oh yeah! What am I talking about, I'm not wearing clothes today!"

The professor and the reporter both sighed not at Pinkie, but Leclop. They were always bested by that damn mime.

"Doc, why does Pinkie even bother bringing us all together when all she does is come up with an answer on her own? Does watching that mime squirrel around really get her noodle going or something?"

"Well Scribbles, as we are only the projection of her own line of thought and reasoning, our true relevance is what she makes of it."

"So let's get this straight. She dreams us up to help her sort things out, but she ends up coming up with something from thinking in her thoughts?"

"I'm afraid so."

"That's...what's that word? You know when you have the stuff within the other stuff?"

"Meta, my dear. Meta."

"Argh! That it be, lasses!" a voice said, ringing through the void. From out of the blackness of thought emerged a new character of Pinkie's fantasy. Dressed in a crimson coat-jacket and a black tricorne hat, she bore a hook of curious utility on her hoof and a saber at her side. Though unique in many ways, the most distinguishing physical feature of this Pinkie was her namesake.

"Captain Cotton Beard!" Pinkie said in surprise, "What the hay are you doing here! This is my super- secret-council-of-important-affairs-and-stuff! You have to go through a really long and drawn-out application process before you can make it here, Ms. Pirate Pants! I mean, I just met you yesterday!"

"Argh, and a merry day it was! Like two chained round shots in a cannon, you and I!" Cotton responded as only a pirate could, "But listen ye daughter of Prancis Drake, for I come with word of special significance in regards to one of your personal fancies. A wicked storm has been brewed and now it be snowing something fierce just outside these doors my girl!"

"Snow!" Pinke said, jumping with excitement, "I love snow! Snow-flakes, snow-ponies, snow-fights, snow forts, snow-cones, snow angels! Count me in you old salty sea dog! I'm there and outta here! Bye guys!"

Without further ado, Pinkie waved to the imaginary figments and sprung into the blackness of the void. Seeing that she was gone, Captain Cotton Beard approached the professor and spoke in the finest Equestrian the pirate could muster.

"Pray tell my good lady, what chance does a humble corsair such as myself have of replacing yonder creepy mime on this fine board of trusted confidantes?"

"To be perfectly honest..."

"_Nul, mon pauvre pirate_."

The three turned in shock to see the street performer light a cigarette in silent satisfaction.

–

"Snow, snow, snow!"

Popping back to reality, Pinkie's enthusiastic cries startled everypony in the hut. It did not take long for her acute senses confirm the pirate's report; her itchy belly and her spasming right hoof meant a buck-ton of snow had come their way. Running out the door in a flash, the ecstatic pony was not to be disappointed. Gone was the green of Everfree, now thick clumps of glittering white snow covered the forest treetops and floor. Though others might see in the snow a spellbinding beauty or dreary death, Pinkie Pie saw past both to find one thing that was hard to argue against: the promise of winter fun.

"Snow!" Pinkie chirped as she jumped into a shallow snow bank, "In all its cold, frosty, super-icy glory! There's nothing like hearing the crunch of new-fallen snow under my hooves! It's the sound of starting of something new, something totally amazing!"

Curious to see the commotion, Rarity, Fluttershy and Luna ran to the doorway and watched as Pinkie frolicked in the snow.

"Pinkie! Get back in here this instant!" Rarity hissed, unamused with Pinkie's shenanigans "I just got done washing the dirt out of your mane, and now you're getting it all wet and messy again!"

"Hey Rarity!" Pinkie replied with a smile, "C''mon, don't be stuffy, be happy! Just a touch of this tingly fluff will do the trick, so cut the chit chat and hop in!"

"Of all the times, Pinkie, this is not one of them!" Rarity huffed, "I thought you understood by now that we are hiding! Princess Luna, if you could be so kind to tell Pinkie..."

A fresh snowball soon made its priority to smack Rarity square in the snout. the sight of which was too much for Luna to bear. The timing, Rarity's unamused glare, and Pinkie's chuckling made the goddess break out into a fit of laughter herself. Dwelling on past sins and present dilemmas had stifled her spirit, making her feel alone and hollow. But this young pony, in the brilliant simplicity of her actions, had changed that. Pinkie's laughter echoed an innocent wisdom that defied the confines of earthly limitation. Inspired, Luna felt hope lift her away from the melancholy of history and carry her to face a brighter future; instead of painful separation, betrayal, and loss there would be perfect union, loyalty, and love once more between the two sisters.

Unfortunately for Luna, a distracted onlooker makes for an opportune target. With a whir and a plop, the pink pony's projectile found its target in Luna's face. Wiping the snow from her eyes, Luna gave Pinkie a big smirk.

"You shouldn't have done that, mortal."

"What are you gonna do about it, Nightmare Moon?" Pinkie chirped playfully, "Gobble me up?"

"Not a bad idea my insolent subject!"

Dissolving into the shadows, Luna quickly reappeared behind Pinkie and magically shot a volley of snowballs at the earth pony. Though a snow warrior in her own right, Pinkie could do little as she soon found herself covered hoof to head in a pile of snow. Walking over to the frosty tomb of her snow foe, Luna smiled.

"I'll give you one more chance to repent and come back inside, young pony. Do you accept or will I have to make dinner preparations?"

"Never...and neither!" Pinkie shouted as she broke free from her snowbound prison. In an instant she tackled Luna to the ground. The two laughed as they tossed and rolled across the snow until at last Luna pinned the earth pony to the ground.

"Ah! Nightmare Moon's got me!" Pinkie squealed.

"Yes my little meal, there's no escape!" Luna laughed, "Now off to the kitchen with you!"

With that, a blue magical aura wrested Pinkie from the earth and carried her back inside. Though Luna respected Pinkie and her spastic ways, she also knew that Rarity was correct in demanding they keep a low profile. Hopefully their brief romp in the snow satisfied Pinkie's pallet for fun for awhile. Sighing as she entered the warm hut, Luna wished she didn't have to cut it so short; she too loved to watch the changing seasons unfold, especially in Everfree. The natural cycle was pure in her forest; it did not need to be coerced and agitated by a flock of pegasi or a stampede of earth ponies. In it, Luna saw a balance that should not be disturbed. Discord's corruption of the earth had shown her this; but Celestia would hear none of it. To tame the militant spirit of the pegasi, her sister granted them greater stewardship over the seasons while institutionalizing and centralizing the process, thereby overturning the old tribute system the pegasi had abused. It was just one of the many social reforms Celestia put into place after they took the throne of Equestria, but it was one she had defended adamantly throughout the centuries.

It was to the credit of Celestia's genius that she could extract from the pegasi warrior tradition its spirit of competition, honor, and sense of duty while preserving peace within her domain. Nonetheless, Celestia was always cautious, perhaps cynical, of the pegasus' aggression just as she was of the unicorn's vanity and the earth pony's envy. It became Celestia's obsession to channel these vices to both her benefit and that of her new nation. It was partly this fact that Luna took no interest in state-building; if her sister would not respect nature, she would be indifferent to the developments of Celestia society...to a point.

Seeing Zecora clean up the mess Nightshade left behind in his blind haste, Luna and Pinkie joined the zebra's efforts in picking up the place.

"Thank you my friends," Zecora said, "it is good to know there are those on who I can depend. If you would be so I kind, there are some fragile herbs I have yet to find. This root my people cherish, I hope to many have not perished. The snow is icy and thick, to collect them I must be quick."

Allowing Zecora to first pass by, Rarity sighed and closed the door. Her first impression of Luna was somewhat conflicted.

"Fluttershy, how is it that every royal or high official I've met ends up nothing like my books?" Rarity asked the quiet pegasus, "Captain Braveheart is a coarse brute, Princess Celestia has no sense of fashion, and now Princess Luna turns out to be a second Pinkie!? Unbelievable! Twilight must have erred in her translations..."

"Oh," Fluttershy replied, "I thought you were going to say something bad about Prince Blue..."

"Up, up, up! We never speak of that name. Not in my presence."

"...sorry. But, umm...at least she got Pinkie to come back in out of the cold. That was a good thing, I think."

"I suppose. Her display was very much unlike Nightmare Moon, though I must say my curiosity about this whole crazed affair is getting stronger by the moment. I've been quite generous being kept in the dark for so long, I'd like to hear some answers. After being arrested and dragged through a muddy forest, I think I deserve some, wouldn't you agree?"

"Oh, yes, certainly." Fluttershy said, looking away from Rarity,"If, if you'd like, I can tell you what Twilight told me at my house."

"That would be appreciated, dear. Start from the beginning, I want to know the whole story."

"Well, I woke up this morning to find Princess Luna and an injured pony bleeding profusely in my living room. As you can imagine I was...startled. After tending to Big Mac all morning, I got a bit...aggressive with Twilight. Don't ever tell Applejack, but the operation was...what I mean is that I cut the tissue too...well it ended up being a really close call. After it was all over, the reality of the whole thing hit me and I got so, so upset that I...oh Rarity, I was such a bad friend! I kicked Twilight out of my bed and...and then I raised my voice at her! I, I told her that it was wrong of her to come to me, that she should have sought professional help. I'm not a doctor, I'm not even a nurse! But they thrust Big Mac's life in my hooves...I did only the best I could..."

As the soft-spoken pony continued, her voice quivered in anxiety. Every word seemed to drain the color from her face.

"Oh Fluttershy, it pains me to hear you so hurt," Rarity said, giving the yellow pegasus a tight hug, "are you all right?"

"...Yes. I'm fine, it's just that...well, not enough time has passed."

Collecting herself, Fluttershy continued to tell her story.

"I was crying when I told Twilight to explain herself, but she felt so distant and cold. At the time it really bothered me but I guess now that she was holding back her own fear because she got into a big fight with Luna later in the afternoon. But...but there was something about Twilight's eyes. It was like looking into a beached whales'.

Fluttershy paused and looked at Twilight sleeping.

"It was a little hard, but I had to accept that Twilight was doing something against her will, so I tried calming myself down with some hot cocoa. Twilight wouldn't drink any, but she was ready to talk when I came back from the kitchen. She told me about what happened at the library and Sweet Apple Acres, but what she really got excited about was Luna's history. For at least a half-an-hour she cried out the names of places, ponies, and battles that I've never heard of before. It really didn't make much sense to me, but I got the idea that Twilight didn't trust Luna. So it was really pretty weird when she then tried to assure me that helping Luna was the best thing we could all do. I really didn't know what to make of it, so I agreed with her and left it at that."

"Are you saying that I risked my mane for a pony we can't even trust?"

"That's what I thought too, umm, but I didn't want Twilight to know. I really, really didn't want to follow Luna into Everfree...I did have to care for Big Mac and wait for you girls, but in the back of my mind I was relieved. I guess tending to Luna and seeing her so happy with Pinkie has eased my worries, but...well, nothing. Ignore that, please."

"Fluttershy, tell me your opinion."

"No, I don't..."

"Tell me."

Fluttershy could see where this was going and decided to cut it short.

"Fine...I don't have one."

"Come again?"

"I...I don't have one...an opinion."

"Fluttershy, dear, you can be candid with me. Everypony has an opinion."

"Why?"

"Oh, you're being quite silly about this. Having an opinion is a sign of class and education, to be without one is...how should I put this...uncivil. You are a free-thinking pony, are you not?"

"It's not that Rarity it's...it's...well, I guess this will sound silly to you but..."

"No, do go on, Fluttershy."

"I'm...I'm scared, Rarity. That's all I know or understand. It's dangerous to call that the same as an opinion, it is just a feeling after all. One I get...a lot. I can tell you what I feel, Rarity, if that's what you really wanted to know."

"...Yes," Rarity said slowly, "Why yes, please."

"Okay, if you really want to know..."

Turning away from Rarity, Fluttershy looked out the frost covered window to catch a glimpse of the snow covered wood before continuing. Though she feared Everfree, Fluttershy greatly admired and respected the forest. To her it was a mysterious source of inspiration and beauty, a symbol that best embodied her communion with nature. It was partly for this reason that she chose to take up residence so close to the forest's eves, that small border situated between security and terror. If anypony else lived that precariously close, they would understand why the meek pegasus spooked so easily.

Sighing, the pegasus closed her eyes and continued to speak.

"...every year the salmon makes its journey upstream to spawn. Thousands upon thousands of fish swim against the current and pass through a grueling gauntlet of waterfalls and bears just to lay their eggs. Hundreds and hundreds die, many of the poor dears do so out of sheer exhaustion. But no matter the strength of the current, the salmon will swim on and do what it needs to do."

Rarity gave Fluttershy an inquisitive look.

"Fluttershy, I'm not following so well. Could you perhaps be more forthcoming?"

"Sometimes...well, a lot of times, I feel like a salmon...trapped and always fumbling into somepony's adventure. Do you remember the dragon, Rarity? You girls needed my talents to help you get the job done, but I was so scared, I didn't want to go anywhere near that monster's den. My fear held me back, but it didn't stop me. In the end, I was right where I never wanted to be, standing on the tip of a dragon's snout. It's true that I found the strength I needed to do my part, but my opinion never changed. I'm still terrified of dragons, I would never, ever want to have to deal with another one for as long as I live. But what I think or what I want...it's not important. When it comes down to the safety and well-being of others, I will do what I need to do. I mean, all I've ever wanted is to live a simple life helping all things bright and beautiful on this earth, all creatures great and small...that's my purpose, I think. I just never imagined that that would mean goddesses and dragons too...just the idea gives me the goosebumps."

Fluttershy paused and looked Rarity in the eyes.

"It's...it's almost cruel that I'm the Element of Kindness. I don't think I'll ever get to live the quiet life I've always dreamed for...I hope that didn't sound too dumb."

"No, no at all." Rarity replied somewhat slowly, amazed at Fluttershy's response. It was not one born out of a single day's experience; the demure pegasus honestly felt she had little control over her life. Rarity was at first annoyed to hear her friend spout fatalisms, but thinking about her relationship with Fluttershy gave the unicorn chance for a second take. It wasn't long for Rarity to be reminded of the fashion model debacle and how it was she who pushed Fluttershy into doing it, how it was she who insisted that the pegasus stay on. It was only later when Fluttershy admitted her disdain for the job that Rarity realized how much Fluttershy disliked special attention and high society. Prior to the revelation it had been difficult for Rarity to comprehend why Fluttershy wouldn't want to be a fashion model. From the unicorn's perspective, it was the key to future business success and affluence in Canterlot, the gateway to the Equestrian dream. This was, however, not Fluttershy's dream.

"Fluttershy, I'm truly sorry for anything I've ever done to make you feel like that." Rarity continued sincerely, "I wish to make it up to you. When this is all over, I promise to do everything I can to tailor your life the way you see fit. Perhaps we can even have an audience with the Princess Celestia to discuss these Elements..."

As Rarity continued to talk of plans on how to achieve Fluttershy's hopes for a less hectic and happy life, the pegasus smiled at her friend's ambition and unwavering desire to help her. She always found Rarity's can-do attitude to be impressive, but sometimes she found that it left the unicorn open to taking on difficult work quotas that made her moody and intolerant of the slightest distraction. Fluttershy wondered if this tireless labor is what Rarity really wanted out of life. The pegasus understood Rarity better than most ponies, they were, after all, spa sisters with very few secrets between them. The unicorn's romantic fantasies and admiration for royalty, though not unknown to others, was one such matter they discussed in the past. Could it be that there was a goal that not even the talented and elegant unicorn could hope to accomplish? Perhaps she had abandoned her royal aspirations after being disillusioned with its chauvinism and elitism, but it was likely she still craved to fulfill them in some way. Failure was intolerable to Rarity and the notion that she couldn't achieve her goals only made her want to succeed more. Due to this disposition, the unicorn could understand the surface of Fluttershy's lament but could not penetrate to its heart.

"Heya girls, whatcha talking about?!" Pinkie Pie said, jumping in between the two ponies, "It's not a secret is it? I love secrets! But if you don't want to share that's okay. I've got dozens and dozens of 'em sealed up in the old noodle, and, to be honest, the inmates are getting' a bit cramped in there. But I'll never let 'em out of their cage, I'd never ever..."

"...tell a single pony. Yes Pinkie we're aware." Rarity said with a frown, "If you must know, Fluttershy and I were merely discussing a few serious matters."

"Yeah, about what?"

"Pinkie, must I spell everything out for you?"

"No silly, just _tell_ me."

"Don't bother them about it too much, Pinkie." said Luna casually, still sweeping, "Rarity only wanted to know if I was worth their trust."

Blushing, Rarity and Fluttershy shrank away towards the corner of the room.

"Don't fret about it," Luna said, panning the last bit of dust, "I would be amazed if you weren't. Forgive me for violating your privacy, but you were not too discreet to start with."

"Y-your highness," Rarity replied, her words laced with respect and embarrassment, "perhaps then you would care to lay our fears to rest. If you wish, tell us your side of the story."

Luna paused and mulled over Rarity's proposal. To tell them was to admit to her past failings which would do little to endear them to her. But Luna couldn't deny them the truth as she understood it; to do so would be a grave injustice to them no different from Celestia's historical revisions.

"Very well." Luna said, "I will tell you the events leading to my banishment and the evil that later took hold of me. I only ask you wake up Twilight, she will want to hear my account."

Luna was uncertain if it was wise to tell her sister's pupil the sensitive details about the past. As a rule, Celestia did not privy historians or social scientists to straight forward answers and specific details unless it served her agenda. Personally, Luna thought it lazy on the part of professionals; if they truly loved their field they would eventually find the answers they want for themselves. This was not merely an issue of state secrecy; unlocking one mystery only presented three more mysteries to replace it. The hydra of academia was insatiable, the more answers they had the more inquisitive and critical they became. Would Twilight follow in its tracks and outright dismiss the goddess?

"Twilight...ummm...I'm sorry I have to do this again..." whimpered Fluttershy into the sleeping unicorn's ear.

"Hey Twi!" Pinkie shouted into the other, "Wake up! Luna's got something she wants to say."

Twilight's eyes slowly opened, a clearly groggy expression dominating her complexion. Her dreams...she couldn't remember them exactly. There was that haunting word, [i]_Hypocrite_[/i], but there was another phantom clinging to her consciousness; a white unicorn with a flaming mane. At first she mistook her for Celestia; the unicorn's confident stride and radiant aura matched the goddess' own magnificent display. The white unicorn smirked at Twilight and spoke to her in the fairest of tongues, Chevalais, a unicorn language Applejack referred to as "fancy speak". It was spoken widely in the provinces of Orleaneigh, Bittany, and Champrance and had once been the language of court at Canterlot before Celestia had standardized Equestrian. As her father was from Rênes, Twilight was familiar if not fluent in Chevalais, but it was difficult to gather exactly what the mare was saying. The unicorn had spoken quickly and fluidly in an archaic accent, so Twilight barely caught only one sentence:

"_De sang et d'esprit différents, mais sœurs de destin, toi et moi." _

"Of different blood and spirit, yet sisters in destiny, you and I."

It mattered little anyway as memory of the dream faded into oblivion, a fate fitting for a fleeting wisp of fantasy. All Twilight could recall now were feelings of curiosity, awe, dread and guilt. These emotions, though exposed to the light of the physical world, would linger on without their _raison d'être_.

.

Stretching her limbs, Twilight stood up and yawned. Facing Luna, she was glad to see the princess in better condition. Soon their efforts to find Celestia could continue unhindered under the invincibility of the moon goddess and this nightmare she awoke to could at last come to an end.

"Twilight Sparkle, my sister's shining student." Luna said affectionately, "Too long have I left you wander in the darkness of night, guided only by faith and hope. I have grieved you greatly, and so to atone I will peal back time's veil from your eyes. I know you have sought the answers to the past for a year now; such diligent dedication should yield at the very least a piece of the greater truth. Not all your curiosities will be satisfied, but at the very least you will know what happened one thousand years ago on that terrible day."

As the four ponies watched attentively, Luna began her tale. Unfortunately, there was so much to say and so little time to do so. While talking about the problems of ruling medieval Equestria with Celestia, Luna got off tangent frequently and was clearly bogged down by too many details. Twilight empathized with the goddess; even though she was organized, Twilight was always enthusiastic about the material and sometimes shared too much.

"Princess," Twilight interrupted as Luna spoke about the corrupt theme system, "I'm aware of a lot of this, though your perspective is...helpful. But how about we stick with the key points."

"I expected as much from you Twilight, but I thought the others would care to know some background..."

Looking at her audience, Luna found Fluttershy watching a bug on the ceiling, Rarity brushing her mane, and Pinkie snoring softly.

"Oh! I see..."

"Don't feel too bad, Princess," Twilight said, "I tried offering free history lessons at the town hall a couple of times. Once the cookies and punch were gone, everypony went lights out."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be rude" Fluttershy piped up, "Umm, it was very nice, your speech, that is..."

Twilight nudged Rarity to attention.

"Why yes!" the white unicorn exclaimed, "Fabulous, you don't suppose you could say all that again, you know, for poor Pinkie here?"

"Wh—wha?" Pinkie said, her eyes opened and darting from pony to pony.

Sighing, Luna decided to take Twilight's advice. Starting from her consultations with Morning Star to her battle with Celestia, Luna's words took on a whole new dimension of significance. The ponies were mesmerized by Luna's powerful and eloquent delivery of the tragic tale, but none more than Twilight Sparkle. It was everything she had ever wanted Celestia to tell her and made so much sense in the context of her research. What captivated Twilight the most, however, was the story of Morning Star. Luna's descriptions of Celestia's fallen student were border-line hyperbolic, but the detail, passion, and sincerity she put into her words made Twilight believe in this legendary unicorn. Upon hearing Morning Star's justifications for the overthrow of Celestia, Twilight at first felt disgust. It was beyond belief why anypony would want to be rid of Celestia's guiding light, and from one so close to the princess of all ponies! As she reflected on the specifics of Morning Star's argument, however, a wave of guilt passed through her. In the farthest reaches of her mind, she empathized with the revolutionary unicorn. Who of Celestia's hundreds of students ever surpassed the skills and wisdom of their divine teacher? Only Morning Star, if Luna's account was to be trusted. She not only outwitted, outmaneuvered and defeated Celestia, she had a different vision for a just and equal world independent from the sun goddess' influence.

Above all though, Twilight envied Morning Star for escaping the Celestia's clout and making her own name. Twilight awaited for the day when she was no longer "Celestia's student" but just Twilight Sparkle. Well, preferably with an honorary attached.

Dr. Twilight Sparkle. That sounded better.

But that would require independence, something Twilight both wanted and feared. Being without Princess Celestia all day had made her realize just how much she still relied on the goddess. She loved Celestia, she would never betray her mentor for power, but she could not help but admire Morning Star's courage and confidence. In the darkest places of her heart she held a degree of fear and resentment towards her teacher. Usually kept at bay, these feelings would express themselves whenever Twilight felt she had failed Celestia's high expectations. In these situations she was always prepared to think Celestia as a deity bent on retribution even though she knew the goddess loved her dearly.

Perhaps Morning Star felt the same way at times...

Twilight shook herself way from this line of thought. As romantic a figure Morning Star was, she had still stained her soul red with the blood of thousands of innocents to achieve her goal. That was unforgivable. Besides, Twilight had little love for politics and depraved power grabbing. Whatever sad end Morning Star faced, she certainly deserved it.

But another matter pressed at Twilight: where was Morning Star in the accounts? Like Ajax, had her name been struck from the records? Thinking quickly, Twilight revisited some of the questionable translations she had wrote and wondered who really the "demon" and "dark one" was: Luna or Morning Star? Her bias shone magnificently in presuming the words were in reference to Nightmare Moon. Unfortunately, she had crafted her narrative around this assumption. Twilight was kicking herself now; the translations she had slaved over now had little integrity and worth. What was not debatable, however, was Luna's presence in the wars as a visible force. On that all the accounts agreed save Luna's plea of innocence which seemed increasingly credible. But this was of only secondary concern.

Though she had a million questions, Twilight's greatest ones now did not concern Luna.

No, it was Celestia, her life-long teacher and mistress, who proved to be the greatest mystery. If the goddess' power and influence was greater than she could ever have thought possible in the modern world, how much more was it in the feudal past? What was Celestia's true role in the war? Was she a triumphant savior or a reactionary dictator? Only the sun goddess could answer these curiosities, a reality that made Twilight yearn even more for the return of Princess Celestia. But even then, Twilight did not even care so much about the questions as she did to hear Celestia's reassuring voice responding to them.

Luna was glad to see that her audience was much more receptive of her tale, but she was conflicted inside. She had given empiricism a shot, but it was messy, complicated, and distracted. The mediums of poetry and oral tradition came more naturally to her, yet both of these bore fiction and half-truths similar to Celestia's written accounts. Her love of _Utanzi wa Shafuku_ demonstrated an astonishing double-standard. Hypocritically enough, the moon goddess was prepared to accept a falsehood in the name of art, but not in the name of her sister's state. Was Luna's insistence on an indisputable truth in the past at complete odds with her impulses towards freedom and creativity? Was truth a tyrant?

As she approached the final chapter, Luna prepared to give an account that she alone could give; her banishment to the moon.

"When the rainbow past from my eyes, there was only darkness. The absence of light troubled my eyes very little, and I soon became acquainted with my cavernous surroundings. As the moon and I are as flesh is to blood, I knew where I was instantly. My first thought was of relief; control of the moon is my province after all. But when I tried to exercise my influence, I found my magic to be useless. Likewise, my wings felt as though they had been clipped. Despair grabbed hold of me. I could not believe Celestia would use my most intimate expression of love as her own personal dungeon to contain me. Anger soon took its place, followed quickly by confusion."

Luna sighed.

"That was the first day of a thousand years. The first fifteen years I fed off all the hope and faith I had in Celestia like a griffon tearing every last piece of flesh from a fresh carcass. Love made me ravenous, and when my expectations were not met, I feasted ever more until nothing was left but brittle bones. It was then that despair took me for his bride, and I wept in bitter isolation within the moon's core. Trying to escape through the its labyrinthine tunnels proved a vain foray into folly, but what else could I do? Daily I would try to escape only to be met with disappointment. I did not sing, I did not create. No, there was only melancholy and decay in my living death. Then one day came when my torment took on a new shape. Like my hope before it, my despair was utterly spent; no longer could I be satisfied by tears alone. To fill the void, a darkness emerged and spoke to me, promising an endless feast. In return, I had but offer myself as a vassal to its will."

Luna paused, breathing heavily before continuing.

"I agreed. And so hatred entered my mind and clove my soul asunder, giving birth to a dark desire, to _vengeance_. Together they cast out my love to lie dormant amongst the fragments of my shattered soul. Unchallenged now, they coalesced in union to create insanity. But I was deceived; instead of sustaining me, insanity consumed my life. For one thousand years it twisted and perverted everything I was to such a point that I forgot my name. So I took a new one, one I had heard whispered in the stillness of my dark dreams. Nightmare Moon. Domination, destruction, and damnation became more than a craving, it was my creed, my everything. When at last I was free from that rock, my mind was bent on finding and..."

Luna stuttered, breaking the flow of her story. She did not want to admit her darkest thoughts, but she saw no choice. Honesty right now was the best course of action.

"...well, killing Celestia. You girls were of negligible importance as I quested to blot out the sun, and existence, for all eternity...an endless darkness beyond remedy."

Looking away in shame, a single tear escaped Luna's eye.

"You know the rest. I hope you see that I didn't become a monster overnight as my sister's accounts would have it. No, it took a thousand years for me to break and succumb to evil."

The five sat in silence as they digested Luna's tragic life. It was moving and compelling; the admission to her murderous intent lent credibility to her account, at least that's what Twilight thought. Rarity and Fluttershy found it beyond disturbing while Pinkie couldn't quite grasp the immensity of it all. Indeed, if it was too much for a goddess to bear, how could a young mortal hope to understand?

"Well that certainly sounded..." Rarity began awkwardly,"...dreadful."

The unicorn's attempt to lift the silence was unsuccessful, but it meant little as they soon heard a round of knocks and two familiar, though muffled, voices.

"Hey y'all, open up before our hides freeze out here."

"Yeah, my butt's so numb that I wouldn't be surprised if my tail fell off!"

Rarity rushed to the door and opened it. She'd recognize Applejack's southern-isms and Rainbow Dash's crassness anywhere.

"About darn time, Rarity!" Applejack said, giving a wink before hugging the unicorn tightly.

As she pulled back from the embrace, Rarity gave a sly smile and shot back.

"I could say the same to you, Applejack, but I forgive you. I'm just thrilled to see your beautiful, wonderful, dirty face again."

"What was that last one?"

"Nothing."

"Hey Rainbow!" Pinkie called to the pegasus, "You guys really need to work on your time, you two were even slower than you were at last years Running of the Leaves!"

"Pinkie's right," Twilight said worryingly, "did anything bad happen out there in the forest? I expected you girls here two hours ago."

"Oh, well, nothing too much, Ah, well, just needed an attitude adjustment and Rainbow was so kind to oblige."

"Yeah, AFTER WE KICKED THE WEB OUT OF A GI-NORMOUS SPIDER!" Rainbow clarified loudly, "It was awesome, _pezuña a pezuña_, no hold bars, I'm telling ya! It was intense! I was zooming all around the bugger taking shots left and right, but when it pinned me, Applejack gave it a kick to the face it won't ever forget! Did I tell you guys how big it was? It was the size, the size..."

"It was about the size of her ego." Applejack chuckled, causing everypony save Rainbow to laugh.

"Tch...it wishes..." the pegasus muttered under her breath.

It was a moment of relief the six friends welcomed with unbounded joy as they smiled and embraced one another. The entire day they had been divided, scurrying frantically from point to point, losing some and gaining others along the way. But as they stood united once more in the tiny hut, they felt whole once more. The strength of their friendship was tested further than ever before, but they had succeeded and were now poised to bring harmony once more to Equestria.

Luna watched the joyful reunion. After awhile, she deemed it acceptable to approach the group.

"Hello Applejack," Luna said to the earth pony with a smile, "I'm glad to see you in good health and spirits, I can't thank you enough for returning!"

Applejack's smile faded as she faced Luna. The farmer was shocked to see the princess covered in bandages and burns, her appearance differing little from her brother. Her belief that Luna was a coward willing to sacrifice anypony for her good was badly damaged if not destroyed completely. However, there was a smug satisfaction Applejack felt. The universe had put the two on equal footing and justice had been done.

"Oh, no problem princess," Applejack blushed, "it's a, well, um, an honor to help your royalness and all..."

Luna could sense emotion with ease and detected a subtle spite in the farmer's words, but she took no offense. The goddess knew very well that hate was a difficult beast to slay, but it seemed that Applejack had tamed hers significantly since their meeting at Sweet Apple Acres.

"Applejack, I have something of yours." Luna said, taking an item out of Twilight's satchel, "Here, the Element of Honesty. Despite your reservations, you were honest and true in your promise to help me. I can see in your deeds the extraordinary strength and will my sister was so impressed with. Twice you have saved my life. Your brother, too, defended me in the darkest of moments. I'm forever indebted to your family's bravery, Applejack. Will you accept my friendship?"

Applejack sighed and closed her eyes as Luna magically wrapped the element around the earth pony's neck.

"...all right. But on one condition!"

"Why, yes," Luna said surprised, "What might that be?"

"Well, this is the second season in a row that Big Mac was taken out of action" Applejack smiled, "meanin' I'm goin' to need an extra set of hooves out in the orchard tomorrow to buck the apples that don't get the frost too bad. Ya think yer highness can handle some manual labor for a week?"

"I'd love nothing more!" Luna said with all sincerity, "It's been centuries since last I bucked an apple tree, but I remember the feel, the thrill, and the excitement of harvest! Certainly we should have a feast after!"

"Feast!? I like the way this princess thinks!" Pinkie chimed in, "Cider all around, that's what I say!"

Applejack was surprised to hear a princess, scratch that, [i]goddess [/i]get excited about simple farm work. Luna was, just maybe, pretty all right.

"Well then girls," Twilight said with a happiness that had eluded her all day, "I think it's time to return what we took from Luna."

"Aww, do we really have to?" Rainbow Dash asked, realizing that training was going to be a lot more painful, "Maybe we can cut it 50-50, huh? Or, or like cut a loan something?"

"Immortality doesn't work like a bank, Rainbow," Twilight said with a smile, "those are a whole lot more mysterious and complicated! Huh, huh?"

Waiting for a response, the others just looked at her with blank faces. Her joke had fallen flat on the floor and wasn't getting up anytime soon.

"It was a good try Twi!"

"Better luck next time, dear."

"I think y'all need to re-read yer joke book."

"Celestia Twilight, that was embarrassing..."

"Umm...It wasn't so bad..."

"...fine, I get it." Twilight said as she placed her tiara on her head, "Let's just do this then! Form up girls!"

Taking their positions around Luna, the six elements glowed brightly. A tremendous flash of white light engulfed the room, blinding everypony for a few brief moments. As the light died down, Twilight looked at Luna with high hopes and expectations only to be severely disappointed. The moon goddess was still covered in bloody bandages and nasty burns. Twilight's heart stopped beating and the blood drained from her face. All that struggle, all that violence, all that running, and for what? They had accomplished nothing.

"Uh...Twilight..." Rainbow said, scratching her head, "Wasn't that supposed to do something?"

"Yes, yes it was!" Twilight shouted in frustration, "Princess, please tell me you feel different!"

Luna stood immobilized in shock. Her pain had not subsided in the least, she was still mortal.

"Princess!?"

"No, I'm...I'm sorry to say."

"Well that's swell," Applejack moaned, "What in tarnation are we gonna do now Twilight!?"

"Indeed," said Rarity, "this has been a colossal waste of time..."

"Quiet, everypony quiet!" Twilight yelled frantically, "I'm thinking, I'm thinking! _What to do, what to do, what to do_!?"

As her mind cycled in repeat, a strange sound caught the attention of Twilight's ears. It was a whirring, but it wasn't the wind...it was more like the rattling of a tin can...

Twilight's eyes grew wide. It was the shuffling of armor!

"Girls-" Twilight tried saying, but before the unicorn could get it out, the front door was forced open and a terrible gust blew through the hut making everypony flinch. Erupting forth from the doorway was the infamous Captain Braveheart, soon followed by his best soldiers. Swiftly and without a word, the captain pounced upon Luna, punching her in the face and throwing her to the ground. The rest of the guard seized each of the six and put swords to throats.

"...I'm sorry Twilight..."whispered Lightning Strike as he held her down.

"Save it!" Twilight angrily replied, "He was gone, you told me Braveheart was gone! How could you lie to me!"

"Captain Braveheart?" Applejack ask, somewhat nervous to move with cold steel so close.

"Yes AJ, the pegasus who shot your brother is right there, ready to doom us all with his stupidity!"

Indeed, as they spoke, Braveheart drew his broadsword from its sheath. The golden hilt was covered with solar patterns and ordained with a single, large ruby. As the blade glinted in the light of the fireplace, Luna's heart filled with a terrifying dread. Not because she was mortal, but that it didn't matter. She knew the weapon Braveheart wielded well; it was her sister's,[i] la fleur du soleil[/i]. Celestia had forged the sword in the utmost secrecy, but rumor had it that she had mixed shavings of her horn into the steel to create a divine alloy blessed with the power to strike down even the immortal. The sun goddess had used the blade to weaken Discord before they trapped the demon in stone, giving credence to the old hearsay. Not since that day had Celestia taken up her sword. Unknown to Luna, however, was that the Captain of the Royal Guard, by his rank, also wore the title of Ensign to Her Majesty Princess Celestia. This granted him the authority to use the sword when Celestia deemed it proper. It was a heavy blade that few pegasi could use effectively in their mouth, but it was always the test of a new captain if they could fight and possibly kill with Celestia's mighty broadsword.

But now, as Braveheart looked at Luna with sword poised and ready to strike, a second of hesitation allowed a thousand thoughts pass through his mind. He saw the bandages, the cuts, the burns, but it was the look of utter terror in the goddess' eyes that shook him the most. Gone was the spark of the victorious goddess standing cockily over him, nowhere to be seen was the cold stare of the terrifying demon in Pocket's reports. Just the terror of a trembling, pathetic princess. That fear, that fear he had seen so many times, it couldn't possibly be a trick...

"_What in Celestia's holy name are you waiting for you idiot?!"_ his mind screamed, _"End it as planned! You're endangering the mission with your weepy heart, you bastard runt!"_

Before Braveheart could even think about raising his sword to strike, a golden fiery blaze bolted through the room and placed itself between the captain and the princess. Burning brightly and screeching angrily, Philomena defended her master's sister with a terrifying display of power that made even the hardened veteran recoil. As he shielded his eyes, his sword fell from his grasp to the ground with a clatter. Seeing Braveheart stand down, the bird cried out once more and turned to give Luna a quick nuzzle. Wasting little time, Philomena signaled towards the door and took off back into the cold night. Luna quickly arose and followed, pushing the captain out of her way in blind pursuit.

"Philomena, please, please guide me to my sister, to Celestia!" the princess yearned, her heart beating rapidly in joy and suspense as she ran through falling snow and howling wind.

Back at the hut, events continued to unfold to the detriment of the guard. The phoenix's fires had thrown the soldiers in a daze, allowing Twilight and Rarity the opportunity to magically disarm their captors and change the swords to harmless sticks. Immediately, Twilight kicked Lightning Strike off of her and ran out the door, hoping she could catch up with Luna. Like the moon goddess, Twilight saw Philomena as an unmistakeable sign of Celestia's presence and will. The phoenix's intervention gave Twilight new faith in Celestia and drove her to follow the bird unquestioningly through the forest.

Still stunned, the captain was disturbed to see Celestia's pet bird protecting Luna. Though his relationship with Philomena was marred by her propensity for trouble, Braveheart nonetheless deeply respected the sacred bird; it was as if Celestia herself had come between him and Luna. As his vision came back into focus, Braveheart was infuriated to see that Luna had vanished. Turning to his pegasi, he saw Twilight rush out the doorway.

"It's all falling apart, you damned son-of-a-whore!" his mind rebuked, "Three times you had a chance, but you blew them! Get your shit together, and get that monster!"

"Fall in and form up, pegasi!" he shouted, his anger abundantly clear, "I want a division to stay here. Lightning, Storm, take a scouting party to track the princess-"

Before he could finish, the captain was interrupted by a devastating kick to the face delivered courtesy of apple bucker supreme, Applejack. A look of anger and disgust were clear upon her face, but in her smile there was a smug relief. By need the farm pony stopped the captain in his tracks, but it was sweet vengeance that gave her strike an extra sting.

Shocked to see their commander put down, the guard looked at Applejack in awe. She had succeeded where a hundred others had met only defeat. Seeing that she had an audience, Applejack took full advantage of it.

"Settle down, everypony!" she shouted, "We've been playin' cat and mouse all day doin' little more than runnin', accusin', an throwin' fits! Ah don't know about y'all folk, but Ah'm gettin'' might tired of all this darn malarkey. Now how 'bout we try bein' civil-like and actually get a few things across without all this yellin'! My voice can't take no more of it anyhow!"

The soldiers said nothing but looked in the direction of their captain. Slowly, the shell shocked veteran rose to his hooves and gave Applejack a nasty stare.

"Who the bloody-"

Braveheart was interrupted once more as a bouncing pink pony tackled him back on the ground.

"Hi Captain Mean-face!" Pinkie said cheerfully, "That's Applejack, I thought I already told you that today, silly! Boy you have a short memory, but then again, so do I! The doc wanted me to take these pills this one time to help me focus and I was like: heck no! Drugs are for ponies with no friends! And then I got real sad thinking about all the ponies with no friends being all alone..."

Braveheart was bewildered once more by the earth pony's good spirits. How could something so pure and nauseatingly bubbly be taken by dark powers? If she was here of her own good will, then was Celestia's student no different? Philomena's intervention, too, filled him with doubt. The phoenix was a smart bird, but she was still just a bird. Her loyalty and obedience rested in only one soul, Princess Celestia. His intelligence reports were now starting to look like a pile of rotten apples...

Pinkie saw doubt in Braveheart's eyes and smiled. It was time to cut the banter and get to the important stuff.

"...so anyway, Applejack was saying that we should just, you know, relax, talk, make some snacks maybe, no wait scratch that! Definitely make some snacks, and you know, see if we can help solve some big problems. How about it, Cap'n?"

Braveheart hesitated again and broke eye contact with the earth pony.

"I'll make more s'mores!" Pinkie sang.

"...very well, Pinkamena." the captain said reluctantly, "You have a truce."

"Awesome! Be back in a jiffy!"

In a matter of seconds, Pinkie returned with a plate full of graham crackers and chocolatey goo.

"Pinkie, how the hay did you do that?" Rainbow asked, impressed by her friend's speed.

"That's a business secret property of Mr. and Mrs. Cake and Sugar Cube Corner, a subsidiary of Cake Enterprises Incorporated! I promised to keep it safe, and safe is where I'm keepin' it! So eat up and enjoy everypony!"

"S'mores!? You have to be joking, this is a joke, right?!" came a voice from the doorway. Mangled, dirty, and shivering stood Nightshade.

"This is insane! Who put Lightning Strike back in charge to play tea party prince?"

"I gave the order," growled Braveheart as he sheathed his sword, "and you will eat a s'more, you will like it, and will shut your hole after you're done chewing, kapish?"

"But-but sir!" Nightshade stuttered, "This is outrageous, Nightmare Moon has escaped again and now we're dealing with renegade fugitives like equals? Think about Silver Skies and Old Hickory, these, these monsters put good pegasi on their death beds! How about me?"

"Don't exaggerate!" Lightning Strike cut in, "Those pegasi will be back in action in a month, and so will you. It's not exactly what we'd like, yeah, but they were defending themselves from an illegal raid."

"Oh really, Lightning?" Nightshade snidely replied, "I thought you were incompetent but never a traitor!"

"Shut up! That's enough from you!" Braveheart barked, "I busted into this hut based on your report, and half of it didn't match up to what I saw! You had your chance, now I'd like to hear what these five have to say. Pinkamena?"

"What'd you like to know, cap'n?"

"Why was the princess burned and cut? Was it an illusion or real?"

"Oh those were the real deal," Rainbow jumped in, "Princess Luna got pretty bruised up by a dragon on our way here. It was kinda epic."

"My left-flank, a dragon!" grumbled Nightshade, but the captain ignored him. He too had a hard time believing that, but if a goddess was to be injured, a dragon would probably be the culprit.

"Yes, Luna was really hurt captain...sir...pegasus," Fluttershy joined, "when we found her, she had passed out from her injuries, so we had to take her here so that Zecora and I could tend to her."

Braveheart looked to Pinkie for confirmation, which she obliged.

"Yep, yep! That's the truth! Why else would be cooped up in zebra's hut? Doesn't sound like the start to a very diabolical plot, does it? I know you pegasi just want to make sure everypony is safe, especially the princess, but I think you might have gotten a little carried away, huh?"

Braveheart turned away from Pinkie, a look of frustration clear upon his face. Concerned, Pinkie wrapped a hoof around the captain and spoke in a more solemn tone.

"Captain, this is just a big bad misunderstanding. We just want to find Celestia, just like you and your pegasi. We can work together if you'd just put away all these silly swords."

"The Elements," Braveheart growled, "Why did Luna need the power of the elements? What were you doing with them?"

"Oh, well, you see," Pinke said blushing, "that's because when we defeated Nightmare Moon, Luna's immortality split into each one of us and so we were, umm, giving it back."

Braveheart gave her skeptical look.

"That sounds downright absurd, Pinkamena, are you being honest with me?"

"Darn right she is." Applejack said. She had wanted to avoid talking with Braveheart lest she ruin the talks with another violent assault, but she could see Pinkie was in a tight spot.

"Captain, Ah'm not a pony to tell a lie, and if Ah did you'd see right through it lickity split. Ah hate to admit this, but Ah was a whole lot like you when Luna popped up in my orchard. Ah didn't trust her, didn't believe her, and didn't want nothing to do with her. But with some help, Ah let go of mah arrogance and let her prove herself true and honest by her own deeds and words. Sure enough, it made gettin' things done a whole lot easier. So buck up and get over yourself!"

Braveheart didn't like Applejack's tone and viewed her with caution. Nonetheless he thought over the farmer's words and looked to his officers. A decision this important could not be executed unilaterally, it needed support.

"What say you Lightning? You've been sympathetic to these ponies all day, give me some good reasons why you risked the mission's success."

"Sir, the 'mission' was the main problem. We were so dedicated to getting done what was on pen and paper that it made us overlook what we personally knew or felt about the task. We did things according to the books when we should have been more observant and adaptable to changed circumstance. When you ordered the detainment of Twilight's friends, you operated on the idea that Nightmare Moon could possess and corrupt, even Celestia's student. But that didn't match up to what I saw in Twilight's eyes as she rushed to defend Luna. I saw the same determined and loving unicorn that I had known for years, not a demon possessed slave."

"Oh you and your little unicorn darling!" Nightshade butt in, "You're usually a good mate, Lightning, but you've lost it today. Twilight Sparkle is beyond hope, she can't even tell good from evil. She's brash, domineering, and overly ambitious..."

"It sounds like he's describing Braveheart." Rarity whispered to Fluttershy.

"...she probably wants the throne herself! I heard her disrespect Celestia's name a dozen times, comparing her with Nightmare Moon! What a real loyal student, huh Lightning? Keep your feelings in check and obey, like a good guard should."

Turning to Braveheart, the black pegasus respectfully addressed his superior.

"Captain, sir! Pardon my boldness, but you shouldn't listen to Lightning. He's not just biased, he's delirious. The reports and intelligence that we have on Nightmare Moon are first class, the Royal Line has even attested to her savagery in the past. We can't just ignore what we know just because a couple things look off! We are the elite, the mission is everything to us. How could we turn our backs to the sacrifices we made today and admit that we were wrong? We can't, because we are right, I'll never believe a pony who tells me differently. We must pursue Nightmare Moon!"

"Storm Cloud!" Braveheart called, "Your thoughts!"

"Sir, you don't need to get her involved, she's just a rookie..."

Braveheart butted heads with his lieutenant and looked him dead in the eye.

"Look, Storm's been more valuable to me today then you have over your whole career. So shut-up and let her talk!"

Storm smirked a little. Seeing Nightshade getting chewed out for once was a treat, even if she knew that the captain was exaggerating.

"Storm!"

The grey pegasus removed her helmet, freeing her silver mane from its confines and looked straight into the captain's eyes. Braveheart eagerly waited to hear the young warrior's opinion; out of all his officers, she was the most level-headed and analytic.

"Sir, I would have to respectfully disagree with both the lieutenants. The thing about intel is that it's usually always incomplete, meaning that Lightning Strike is right to say we shouldn't be afraid to deviate from the mission and rely on our own assessments. I also think we were in the wrong a couple times today and should at least acknowledge it. But Nightshade is right too, Luna's history is very disturbing and filled with black magic. That's very hard to ignore. As to these five ponies, they may not have been possessed, but they still could have been craftily manipulated. It can be agreed that Luna is a master of light and shadow, deception is most likely a skill she's honed over the centuries. To be honest sir, I'm in the same boat as you; I'm not quite sure what to make of all this...

"Huh, so it seems we have a split decision," muttered Braveheart, "How about we inject some fresh blood into this debate, huh? Blizzard Freeze, front and center!"

Surprised to hear his name, the young recruit quickly galloped over to the captain and saluted, nervous as all hell.

"What do you think after hearing all that, kid?" the captain questioned.

"Oh, umm, sir, I, don't know much about Princess Luna, but, well, the she looked like she was in terrible shape just now. And, just umm, I think if she was going to do something really evil, she would've done it by now...but it looks like she's just been wandering around the forest all day."

Braveheart smiled at the future guard. Sometimes know-nothings give the best opinions. Looking over to the rest of his soldiers, he addressed them with his usual booming voice.

"Well pegasi, it seems that our mission is nearing an end. If we can track Celestia's bird, we will most likely find our princess. Be warned and wary though! This forest is filled with death, so I'm ordering only a small contingent to come with me and help guard Nightma-"

The captain bit his tongue and grimaced.

"-her majesty Princess Luna and the Elements of Harmony as they search the forest."

"What?!" Nightshade shouted, mouth agape.

"You heard me Nightshade. I want you back in Ponyville to receive medical attention, you can hardly see let alone fight, soldier!"

"But, sir..."

"I don't want to hear it. I hate being wrong too, Nightshade. I _hate_ it, just as much as I still hate Luna. She embarrassed me, tarnished my honor, and nearly had my pegasi killed. The stinkin' smell of innocent blood will always be on her, nothing can ever change that. She may have served her time in the moon, but I wish Celestia would have just kept her there...but that is not my decision. No, mine is what to do to protect the sun princess, and I see little threat to her in Luna. Understood?"

"...yes, sir."

"Princess Celestia and her safety is always my first priority, and it should be yours too. Remember that! You are dismissed, take the bulk of the guard and see to it that the outlying villages are in good order."

"...yes sir."

"Storm, Lightning, and Blizzard! I want you three with me."

"Yes sir!"

As the pegasi departed, Pinkie smiled. She knew that talking would make the difference. The best cure to the evils of rigid seriousness were the simpler things in life after all. Nopony understood that better than Pinkie.

"Hey captain!" Pinkie chirped, "Don't ya ever get tired of being called 'sir'?"

"Haha!" the captain laughed, "No."

"I see that you're as haughty as ever, Captain Braveheart." Rarity said, "You make Rainbow Dash look like a Mother Thracia!"

"Hey!"

"Oh, Captain, sir, umm, don't pay attention to Rarity," Fluttershy said meekly, "she just...well she's good at holding grudges."

"No dear, I just wanted to get a cheap shot on Rainbow Dash. Don't think I haven't forgotten about those dresses you ruined, Rainbow!"

"Are you crazy?! That was six months ago!"

"Ladies," Storm Cloud broke in, "Can you please save the bickering for later? I have a map of Everfree and the snow should allow us to pick up tracks easily. I recommend that we proceed with caution through the forest...

Removed from the rest of the group as they planned, Applejack stood facing the wall. Lecturing her brother's assailant was one thing, having to follow him and his orders was unbearable. This Braveheart...this pegasus who pulled the trigger, wrecked her home, and imprisoned her...

"No, Ah won't give in to hate again!" she thought, but that was not for her to decide. Already dark fantasies formed in her heart, begging her to indulge in them.

"No, no, Ah won't be like her, I won't be like Nightmare Moon!"

In that moment, Applejack unknowingly felt only a meager fraction of the torment Luna suffered in the moon. Applejack was terrified by how powerful and intense her thirst for vengeance was only after seeing the object of her hate but for a few minutes.

"Applejack!" called Rarity, "Yoo hoo! Help us get ready dear, we need to pack some food and find some coats."

"Umm, Rarity," Fluttershy said, "these look nice and warm."

Rarity looked at the Zebric wool coats Fluttershy held in disgust.

"Darling, I thought you had better taste than that! They look dreadful!"

"Looks good to me," said Rainbow, "Guess Rarity would rather go naked and freeze than wear a wool coat, geez."

"...fine. Just let me see if I can't make mine look a little more presentable..."

"Ladies, we need you ready in five minutes." Storm Cloud announced, "We don't have time for any dawdling, princess! The snow and wind will cover the tracks if we wait too long."

"...blast."

Waiting the rest of his company, Braveheart stood outside, looking up at the moon. He was growing sick of that bloody white orb and its deity. Looking to the east, he sighed as no sign of dawn's light could be seen.

"Sir, are you all right?" Lightning Strike asked.

"...I've failed Celestia three times today, Lightning, and now I'm taking the riskiest gamble imaginable on her life." Braveheart growled, "How do you think I am?"

"Sorry, sir."

"Damn it Lightning, don't ask questions you know the answers to, it pisses me off. Now go and assemble everypony willing to make the journey, I'm tired of just standing here doing nothing."

Poking his head through the doorway. Lightning Strike gave a loud whistle.

"Moving out!"

/

Zecora hummed happily as she walked back home, her task complete. She had managed to salvage a great deal of roots and herbs, some of which she thought good for a stew. Her guests would surely appreciate that. As she reached her hut, however, her eyes widened at the sight of her unhinged door. Peering into the house, she noticed that every table, chair, pot and jar was overturned. Some were just cracked while others were completely broken beyond repair. She also noticed that five of her finest coats were gone, along with a good deal of her fresh fruit. On the door was pinned a note.

"_Dear Zecora,_

_We're really, really sorry about messing up your house. Won't do it again. Thanks for everything._

_-Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, and Applejack_

Looking back at the mess, Zecora groaned in dismay.

"To this truth I must attest! Pony-folk make for terrible guests!"

/


	12. Chapter 12

Frigid Winds and Burning Hearts

Part 12

"You heard the lieutenant! Everypony, to attention on the double!" Storm called, "Line up outside and prepare for briefing, asap!"

"You heard her guys!" Rainbow said excitedly "Let's blow this cider stand, find Luna and Twi, rescue the princess, from, uh...whatever it is that's got her and save Equestria!"

"Yeah!"

In what was truly an embarrassing display, the five friends, in their enthusiasm, tried piling out of the hut at once, stumbling and falling over one another along the way. Seeing this, the grey mare sighed at the lack of coordination that seemed to be so typical of civilians.

"Pinkie, remove your dirty hooves from off my back this instant!"

"Can't do Rarity, not until Fluttershy gets her butt off my head!"

"Oh my, oh my...I didn't mean...oh, I'm, so, so sorry Pinkie..."

Flying over the top of piled-up ponies to the cold outside, Storm gave Lightning an annoyed look.

"This is going to be one heck of a long slog through Everfree, Lightning. Care to address them or should I do the honors of letting them know ahead of time every rule and directive that they'll end up breaking or forgetting tonight?"

"No, I'll take care of it, Storm." replied the lieutenant with a faint chuckle, "Escort protocol is pretty standard fare after all."

"All right then I'll leave it to you and...wait, where is the captain?"

"He's just down the road a bit. He's restless, no surprise. Think you could give him some peace of mind before we set off? Today's been tough for everypony, but the captain...I've never seen him so troubled, and that's saying something. "

"A bit like you and your little Twilight, huh Lightning?" Storm Cloud replied casually, "I hardly think I'm a good stand-in for Princess Celestia, but I'll see what I can do. The captain will want to get going, so don't count on any real results."

"All right, good-."

Before he could finish, Lightning Strike felt a snowball knock his helmet clean off his head.

"-luck."

"Woo! Good thing you had your helmet on this time, Lightning!" chirped Pinkie, "That one would've really knocked your socks off! But who needs socks anyways? I mean, yeah, they're super warm and comfy, but you can only wear them inside! How crazy is that? I'm a mare on the march, not a silly shut-in! But what if I was? I don't even wanna think about it..."

"It's not a pretty picture, trust me." Rainbow Dash whispered to Lightning, "Let's just say that it involves a bucket of turnips, a bag of flour, a pile of rocks, and a piece lint."

"A piece of lint?"

"No joke, lint."

Seeing Lightning face scrunch in confusion, Storm chuckled before heading down the snow-strewn path.

"You keep all the luck you have, Lightning," she said, "if you're going to keep this motley crew in line, you're going to need every bit of it."

"Wait! Stormy!"

Turning around, Storm saw Pinkie bouncing towards her with two thick black cloaks draped over her back.

"Here, wear this!" Pinkie said, offering one of Zecora's vestments to the soldier, "And, if you don't mind, could you take this other one to the captain? I'm sure he's freezing his feathers off just wearing that cold hunk of metal everywhere!"

"Thank you, Pinkamena," the guard smiled, "I'm sure he'll love it."

–

Trudging through the snow, Braveheart was careful not to disturb the two sets of tracks guiding him. A routine scouting mission fit more for a private than a captain, Braveheart cared little. No matter how minor the effort was, the grizzled captain would do anything to hasten his return to his mistress' side. Pausing, the captain looked up at the stars to gain a bearing on his position and the direction of the tracks.

"Southwest." Braveheart growled, "We're going deeper into this monster-filled, Celesta-forsaken forest following the trail of a rouge goddess...and with a bunch of vulnerable kids to protect. Great."

After giving an angry snort, Braveheart's frustration condensed upon being caught by the freezing air. The wind had now relented, but the stillness of the cold night brought little comfort. Instead of bearing the brunt of the brutal bellows of the north, a silent blanket of icy daggers wrapped itself around the brown pegasus and steadily sank underneath his skin.

He couldn't stand it, he had to keep moving.

If there was anything that could rival Braveheart's hatred for the night, it was the frigid cold that accompanied it. Thriving in the sun's absence and bringing little but misery and death, it awoke painful memories of his youth, most of which Braveheart preferred to keep dead and buried. There was one, however, that he indulged and cherished, one that he had constantly thought back to over the course of this wretched day...

Canterlot, the white tower of the sun, glimmered brilliantly as the last rays of light graced Equestria. The hustle and bustle of the capital soon came to a halt everypony returned to their homes to weather the scheduled winter night in warmth, security, and peace. Around the upper tier of the noble residences, not a single soul could be seen on the street as the first snowstorm of the season went into full swing. In the darkness of the alleys, however, a crafty young pegasus eyed his prize through the window of one of the larger mansions: a warm, unoccupied guest room full of treasures just begging to be plundered. Smiling, the pegasus couldn't wait to escape the cold and make out the next day with some bread money tucked under his wing. He was sick of sitting in dank soup kitchens sipping on that same bloody carrot water day-in-and-day-out and sleeping in shelters rife with the putrid stink and disease of the impoverished. And the orphanage...well, he'd lick some filthy homeless pony's hooves clean before he'd even think of returning to that suffocating pit of dying hope and broken promises.

No, tonight Braveheart would sleep like a prince. In the morning, if everything went according to plan, he'd be eating like one too.

The eleven-year-old pegasus was no stranger to breaking into somepony's house; there wasn't a lock he couldn't pick or a door he couldn't unhinge. Of course, it took a lot of trial and error to get any good at it, but young Braveheart was alert and nimble. If he was caught, it only meant having to go back to the orphanage for a brief respite before ditching the hell hole and trying his hooves again at some other crime.

After digging into his satchel to retrieve the basic tools of his trade the pegasus began picking the lock just in between the window panes. As he worked, the thrill of his misdeed pumped him full of adrenaline. He had never dared to rob the homes of the Canterlot elite before, but it was something he had always wanted to try. Sure his biggest hauls already came from pickpocketing the stuffy suckers while they were too busy sticking their snouts in the air, but there was something more personal about sacking their private little castles. Who were they to live in comfort and security while he should waste away, forgotten and nameless, in the city's slums? Oh but Braveheart would change that, he would make a name for himself. No longer would he be the "brown little rat" of Orion Square, soon everyone of these snobby ponies would shudder and cling to their precious bits at the mere mention of his name. He would bring the rich and powerful to their knees, even that phony Princess Celestia.

Fortunately, the quixotic delinquent would fail miserably in his first big escapade out of the slums.

As he forced open the window and entered the room, Braveheart greedily eyed the luxurious bed, complete with satin purple sheets and curtains, as if it were made of solid gold. A warm sleep without the fear of being robbed, beaten, or touched was worth more to the gutsy pegasus than even the more pressing need for a good bite to eat. Flying over to the bed, Braveheart lowered himself gently on to the bed. Before he could shut his eyes, however, the squeak of a young colt entered his ears.

"Daddy, one of the servants is using the guest room again."

Turning in horror to the now open doorway , Braveheart saw a small white unicorn with a smug look on his face.

"You're in big trouble now." the foal taunted, sticking his tongue out at the intruder.

Immediately, Braveheart bolted across the room and snatched a fancy looking vase before turning back to the window. He'd be damned it he didn't get anything for his troubles, but, before he could make his escape, the glow of unicorn magic enveloped his body. In vain he struggled as he felt himself pulled back towards the door. Against his will, the pegasus locked eyes with the spell-caster, his highness Prince Fair Coat VI.

"I thought I heard the scurrying of rats. No Blueblood, this is no servant of the House of Haysburg, 'tis only a bug who managed to creep its way through the cracks."

Wearing a fur-lined scarlet cape and the white uniform of a military officer, the large unicorn was handsome and regal in appearance, but his tongue smacked of venomous contempt.

"You have a lot of nerve, boy, to violate the sanctity of a stallion's domain. I would ask you to explain yourself, but the growling of beasts mean little to my ears."

Turning to the hallway, the prince brusquely trotted down the flight of stairs to the foyer, dragging Braveheart violently with him. As they reached the bottom of the stairs, Fair Coat wrenched the opulent vase from Braveheart's grasp and threw the colt to the floor. After gently placing the vase on a pedestal, Fair Coat turned his attention back to his unwanted guest.

"Amusing," the prince said scornfully, "a pegasus foal cast from the clouds, useless and unwanted. Pathetic. Let me get a good look at you, boy."

Rising to his hooves, Braveheart glared at the prince and spat at him.

"Cur! How dare you disrespect me in my own home!"

With a swift smack, Braveheart felt the sting of the prince's retribution. Recoiling, the colt covered his face and turned away from his attacker, leaving his greatest embarrassment exposed.

"Huh," the prince said smiling, "what is this? An adolescent pegasus without his cutie mark? You bear not even a thief's emblem, you unlucky scoundrel! What utter refuse, a pony without a mark in life can indeed hardly be called a pony at all. Parasite."

"What do you know?!" Braveheart responded viciously, "I'd rather swim in shit than listen to a do-nothing leech fill my ears to the brim with it!"

"Listen well you insolent little _bastard_," Fair Coat fumed, "who do you think keeps you alive? The coffers of this city's charities are swollen with my generosity. Thousands upon thousands of bits I've spent educating, housing and feeding you poor lot and what do I get for my money!? Only prowling thieves stalking about my doorstep!"

"Huh, thanks for throwing me a bone, you plump pig," Braveheart retorted, "I hope you didn't strain yourself too hard when you went to pull your wallet out of your ass!"

"I've had enough of your impudence, you ungrateful whelp!" Fair Coat shouted angrily, once more seizing the pegasus with an aura of yellow magic. Thrusting the doors to his manor open, the prince cast Braveheart down the stone stairway with brutal force. Writhing in pain as the harsh wind molested him, Braveheart looked back to the doorway with unspeakable hate.

"I would call the police," Fair Coat continued, "but you don't deserve the luxury of a warm prison cell. Nature makes for a fine judge, don't you think? If you should survive this blizzard, remember what you've learned tonight. Never bite the hoof that feeds you, lest you wish to be crushed by it. Now begone you miserable creature; may Princess Celestia have mercy on your pitiful soul."

With a twist of his cape, Prince Fair Coat turned to enter his home and slammed the door shut behind him. Surrounded by darkness and deadly cold, Braveheart braced himself as a gust of wind threatened to knock the pegasus clean off his hooves. Though naturally resilient to the cold, not even the stoutest of pegasi could endure this kind of raw exposure to the elements. His body shivering madly, Braveheart knew he was no exception. He had to find shelter somewhere, but it would take forever to find a way back to the other side of the city. Braveheart had gambled his night plans on success and had come up fatally short, now what could he do? Break into another mansion?

Not far from the noble quarter, the castle citadel stood proud against the skyline of the city, its bright lights cutting through the messy blizzard and beckoning Braveheart to storm the castle gates. Though a good part of him thought he was totally nuts, the pegasus knew exactly what he was going to do.

"Well the old hag can keep all the mercy in the world," he said grinning, "I don't need her pity. All I need is her castle!"

Flying quickly down the street, the colt struggled to keep the wild wind beneath his wings. Though stumbling along the way, he eventually made his way to the castle grounds. Lowering himself to the earth, Braveheart analyzed his surroundings with great care and attention; he wasn't going to make the same mistake twice tonight.

A balcony on the east tower caught Braveheart's attention. It was an ideal point of entry, meaning that there was bound to be well guarded. Sticking to the shadows to keep out of sight, Braveheart patiently counted the guards and noted their positions; ten stood at the main gate, five patrolled the castle airspace, two were perched atop the balcony and three were stationed at its base. For a brief moment, Braveheart watched the guards in silent admiration; they did not bend in the wind nor did they blink at a snowflake. It was incredible, how could he possibly break through the lines of such tightly disciplined soldiers?

Checking his ragged satchel, Braveheart looked at everything he had at his disposal. It was the standard kit of all young street punks; a small knife, two bandannas, a lighter, and a couple fireworks among other petty criminal tools.

His two-faced 'friends' at the orphanage had often called the colt "Dumbheart" for his bold plots, but he usually put them to shame when he pulled them off without a hitch. The risk and pressure was never this high, however, and, on top of that, he was on the spot, meaning he had to make his plans quickly lest he freeze to death.

But Braveheart had no time to fret about such things, he was too busy mobilizing his idea.

Taking one of the bandannas, Braveheart ripped four neat but unequal lengths of fabric and stuffed them into the firecrackers he had on hoof. Carefully maneuvering around the grounds, he placed each one at several distant points. Next the pegasus fashioned a sling from his second bandanna. Shivering and smiling, Braveheart glanced once more at his targets. They may be the best of the best, but he was Braveheart.

Lighting the shortest fuse first, the pegasus flew as swiftly as he could down the line to ignite the rest. The aerial patrol was now at the farthest corner of the castle courtyard, giving him the window of opportunity he needed. Knowing he only had one shot, he crept towards the east tower, waiting for the guard to slip up.

_Pop_

As the first one went off, the guards eyes turned immediately towards the direction of the disturbance. It took only a second for a single guard to be dispatched.

_Pop_

The guards looked surprised as they heard another in the opposite direction. The three guards at the base now fanned out into the area; Braveheart just barely evaded being caught as they sped towards the scene.

That left one guard, a rather large pegasus.

_Pop_

This time, there was no movement. The guard stayed as still and stoic as ever. Expecting something like this, the pegasus moved in closer to the base of the tower, loaded his last firecracker into his makeshift sling, lit it, and chucked it straight up into the air at a visible distance. With a flash and a bang, the explosive succeeded in drawing out the last guard. As he departed from the balcony to investigate, Braveheart saw his chance and took it. Flying as fast as his frozen little wings could carry him, the pegasus maneuvered his way up the length of the tower, burst into the castle chamber and slammed the door behind him.

Panting heavily, Braveheart turned around and froze in awe and disbelief of the opulent room he found himself in. Beautiful purple and white marble dominated the composition of the walls and columns, but the floor was covered with an ornate carpet. The purple, black, orange and yellow patterns were intricately woven to depict the solar and lunar cycles as well as the princess' fiery emblem. A large fireplace roared loudly besides a desk that was stacked with neatly organized piles of paper...and the royal regalia of Equestria!

Braveheart's eyes widened at the sight of the priceless artifacts, resisting the temptation to stuff it in his bag and fly off. It would be suicide in more ways than one, but the crown held him there while his better judgment told him to hide and wait out the night. He had a nagging suspicion that he wasn't where he wanted to be...

"A courageous effort little one, but not terribly well thought out, I'm afraid. " a fair voice echoed from across the room. Braveheart stiffened in fear as he heard these words and slowly turned to face the direction of their origin. His heart beat wildly as he saw her highness, Princess Celestia, sovereign of Equestria and Lady of Canterlot, sitting comfortably in her bed with a large book sprawled out before her.

Braveheart looked at the princess in sheer terror as she calmly closed her book and rose from her bed. There was little that wasn't daunting about the princess; her immense stature, her mystical mane, and her cool demeanor combined to create an aura of majesty Braveheart had never before witnessed. The young pegasus had once dismissed the princess' admirers as a pack of delusional idiots duped into a sick cult worship of this so-called 'goddess'. Braveheart never attended any civil celebrations, (after all, those were for nationalist ego-maniacs who didn't need to spend hours scraping for a good bit to eat) so he never saw the princess in public before. Indeed, Celestia's' power was more of a myth to him than anything, but as he stood before her, he could tell that it was very, very real.

Trembling, Braveheart wasn't going to wait for another noble to beat the snot out of him, no matter how mighty they were. Fumbling as the princess approached, the pegasus drew his small knife from his satchel and gripped the hilt firmly in his mouth.

"Ba-back off," he stammered "I'm not afraid of you, you freakish wi-witch!"

To Braveheart's surprise, the princess' warm, musical laughter filled the room.

"My, you're a bold little colt," she said smiling,"and a very cold one at that. Now let's get you dried off and into some warm clothes..."

"No!" interrupted Braveheart, moving closer to the door, "I don't need your bloody stinkin' chairty, lady! I've never, ever needed you before and I'm not going to start now."

Celestia frowned and gave the pegasus a look of concern.

"Young one..."

"My name is Braveheart!" he quivered, "Not that you'd care."

"And why would you say that?" Celestia inquired, her voice gentle and sincere.

"Because if you did care, P-princess Sunshine, I wouldn't be alone, I wouldn't even be here, I would...I would have a family!"

Celestia closed her eyes as if the pegasus' words greatly pained her. As she slowly opened them, she gave Braveheart a sorrowful look.

"Braveheart, I know of the loneliness you feel so deeply. I have no father, no mother, no brother, and no..."

Celestia paused and quietly gazed out her window at the full moon.

"...no sister. If I had the power, it would be different, Braveheart, I would have my sister..."

Stopping herself, Celestia looked back at the pegasus before continuing.

"Even gods have limits, Braveheart. I try to do my best for everypony, but I am bound by laws of a different nature. "

Braveheart wasn't quite sure what to make of Celestia's words; to him they just sounded weird. Was she saying that she, the most important pony in the world, was an orphan too? He couldn't believe it. As such, Braveheart remained wary and tense. He wasn't going to be tricked into doing something stupid.

Celestia looked at the shivering young colt, his anger and fear still clear upon his face. The goddess shook herself slightly and smiled at him again.

"Forgive me, Braveheart, that sounded like a lot of nonsense, didn't it? Never mind it, just know that you and I share in the same misery...I know all too well what it is like to be alone in this world. With little love...real love."

"I don't know what you're trying to pull, lady. But you sure as hay...sure as hay aren't the same as m-me. " Braveheart replied, stumbling away from the princess. He was utterly exhausted and could feel his legs give out beneath him. His words, too, were becoming jumbled as hypothermia kicked in and took its toll.

"I barely can find a hunk of bread on a good day, you know, but...you've got the whole flippin world on a platter. Everything I've ever gotten I've got it...cause, cause I work hard, really hard...everyday. But nobles, yeah, you say you understand, but they won't ever get it...and neither will you...you just can't..."

As he spoke, Celestia approached the pegasus and unfurled her large wings. Braveheart flinched as he found himself wrapped in a cocoon of Celestia's warm feathers. Frightened by her touch, the pegasus wanted to flee, but the goddess' voice soothed him and stayed his flight.

"Shhh, it's all right Braveheart...rest your weary head and sleep tight tonight...I will watch over you from now on."

As she spoke, the goddess nuzzled the pegasus lovingly. Braveheart had never been touched so tenderly before and was terrified by the new feelings that rushed through him. It was magical. For once in his pathetic life, he felt secure, he felt peace, and, most powerfully, he felt loved. Soft tears flowed as he returned Celestia's affections in earnest. Feeling the sun goddess' feathers caress him, the pegasus at last closed his eyes and fell asleep.

/

Ever the light sleeper, a simple touch awoke Braveheart. Seeing Celestia walking quietly to her balcony, Braveheart followed behind as discreetly as he could. It was still night outside as Celestia gazed at the moon longingly. To Braveheart's surprise, he heard the princess begin to sing sorrowfully in a language he did not understand.

_Sœur Lune, Sœur Lune,_

_Dormez-vous? Dormez-vous?_

_Sonnez les matines...Sonnez les matines..._

_Din, dan, don. Din, dan, don. _

But the last words she spoke were unmistakable.

"Forgive me..."

Celestia's horn glowed with an intense yellow light that drew from the sky a blue magic that intermingled with her own to create a green aura. The magic then dimmed, and Celestia turned to enter her room. Quickly Braveheart dashed back to where he slept hoping he hadn't seen anything he wasn't supposed to.

"Braveheart, I know you're awake you sneaky little colt!" Celestia called to him, "Come on then, I want to show you something I think you'll find more interesting."

A bit embarassed and very curious, Braveheart swiftly flew to Celestia's side on the balconey.

Without saying anything, Celestia rose into the air, her horn glowing with the green aura from earlier. With only a blink of the eye, the goddess lowered the moon. With similar ease, she ushered in the sun, its bright yellow rays were cast across an orange sky. The fallen snow shimmered like fine crystal in the new day's light. It was truly a beautiful scene, but Braveheart hardly thought it interesting. What was the princess getting at here?

Descending from the sky, Celestia spoke with a loving voice.

"Did you enjoy my sunrise, Braveheart? Out of the thousands of things I must attend to, there is almost nothing I find more satisfying than performing this, my daily labor. It is my special destiny to guide the sun across the heavens and bring light and life to this planet. You have a special role to play in this world too, Braveheart."

"Uh, princess," the pegasus replied blushing, "I know I'm too old, but, uh, I don't have...a cutie mark."

"Oh, are you sure about that?" Celestia said slyly with a big smirk across her face. Excited, Braveheart checked his flank, and, sure enough, the dawn's early light revealed his brand new cutie mark: a burning heart. The thrill the pegasus felt was offset by his confusion.

"Uh, what does it mean? Am I some kind of cremator or something?"

Celestia laughed at the colt's interpretation.

"Hardly! You are destined to _love_, Braveheart, there are fewer fates so wonderful! Yours is a life of courage, action, and passion, don't be afraid to face who you are. I'm..."

As she spoke, a voice from the chamber interrupted Celestia.

"This is Captain Stonewall! Permission to enter and read the morning report, Princess?"

"Yes, come in." Celestia called back, much to Braveheart's fear, "Join me on the balcony, if you will!"

It didn't take long for the Captain of the Royal Guard to fly through the chamber doors. He was a grey pegasus with a white beard and sharp, eagle-like eyes. Braveheart immediately shirked behind Celestia, obscuring his visibility to the captain.

"Well your highness," Stonewall began, "last night's winter storm called for a reduction of guards around the grounds, so we were ill-prepared for the, well...foalish pranks played on us."

"Oh?" Celestia feigned, "Pranks during the most severe blizzard in twenty years? Are you sure?"

"...well, the evidence would point to it. All we found at the sites of disturbance were the remains of fire crackers and firework wrappings."

"Strange." Celestia frowned, "Well, perhaps my young friend here can tell you what happened. Braveheart?"

Moving slowly out of Celestia's shadow, the brown pegasus gave a nervous smile. It was clear by the captain's mortified expression that he was going to get into some kind of trouble.

"Impossible! Never in all my years of service has anypony breached my perimeter! This is a fluke, I promise princess, this little runt could never..."

"Watch yourself, Captain Stonewall." Celestia interrupted, "'This 'runt' managed to get passed my finest soldiers and enter my personal sanctum with just a bag of cheap explosives. The colt obviously has a great deal of courage and a mind to back it up. If this were a test of talent, I'd say the pegasus deserved a little audience with me, don't you agree?"

Braveheart beamed at Captain Stonewall as Princess Celestia praised him. He had never felt so proud in his life, so much so that he found himself sticking his tongue at the captain.

"However," Celestia continued, "he lacks discipline and proper respect for authority. I imagine, too, that the leadership skills of this lone wolf are next to none."

At her criticism, the cocky pegasus frowned, soliciting a grin from the captain.

"So what, you want this kid at the academy?" Stonewall asked, "You're just going to let him go scot-free after busting into the castle like that?"

"Yes and no, captain." Celestia responded before turning to face the accused, "Braveheart, by entering my chamber unannounced or without invitation, you broke the law. I'll forgive you, but I would like a little something from you in return. What do you say?"

"Uh, like what?"

"I want to see you become the very best you can be, and I think serving as a page to Captain Stonewall will help you reach that goal."

Stonewall growled, unsure if he wanted a young colt at his heels all day.

"I have to serve...that guy?" Braveheart asked, a bit worried about the prospect himself.

"I promise you, there's nopony better to prepare you for the future. Stonewall has led the royal guard for forty years, I'm sure you'll find his wisdom to be invaluable when you enroll in the Royal Military Academy."

"Wait a sec." said Braveheart,, "Military school too? That sounds really cool and all, but, I'm sorry to tell you princess, I don't have any money for that kind of deal..."

"Braveheart," Celestia said warmly, "don't be silly. I will personally sponsor you if you wish to attend, but I'll give nothing more. You said yourself that you didn't like being given what was not deserved and in the military, merit is everything...I think that fits you quite well. What do you say?"

The young pegasus thought over the proposal. It was a no-brainier in many ways: food, shelter, and the princess' love alone were powerful incentives. But to become somepony important along the way? He did not know much about the military, but did know that he wanted to become a royal guard. To him, that was his true destiny: to serve Celestia.

"Yeah, I'll do it," Braveheart said confidently, "But, uh, what's a page?"

Celestia and Captain Stonewall both laughed.

"You'll find out kid, I promise!" the older pegasus said with a knowing wink, "I've got a pair of dirty boots with your name on 'em!"

Braveheart didn't like the idea of cleaning the captain's boots. His first impulse was to quip back at his new lord, but Celestia's knowing eyes held him in place. The princess had said that he needed to be disciplined. If that's what she thought was best...Braveheart would give it a shot.

"Speaking of uniforms, captain, could you retrieve the livery for him? He's all yours after that."

"With pleasure, your majesty."

After the pegasus flew off, Celestia gave Braveheart a quick nuzzle before turning to watch the sun. As it rose higher into the sky and spread its light across the lands of Equestria, the goddess spoke once more in a loving voice.

"I expect great things from you, Braveheart. I know you won't disappoint me."

–

These thoughts and memories both warmed and troubled Braveheart. Celestia had brought him in out of the darkness and cold to spare him from a sinful life. He was ashamed for the way he treated her and all the ponies he had hurt. His harsh tutelage under Captain Stonewall had humbled the haughty pegasus and the academy taught him to serve and sacrifice for the greater good of society. However, Braveheart could not escape the intense passion that marked him. Celestia had once said it was his greatest strength, but Braveheart often thought it his greatest weakness. How could he ever overcome it?

"Captain, captain wait!"

Turning around he saw Storm flying towards him. Landing at Braveheart's side, the grey pegasus saluted her commander.

"Sir, you're getting too far ahead of us," Storm Cloud said, "We can't split up in this forest, you know that would be asking for trouble."

"...yeah, yeah it would." Braveheart said distantly, still looking eastward. A brief silence transpired between the two before Storm broke it.

"Braveheart, I know you're occupied right now, but if there's anything I can say or do to help..."

"You know better than to talk to me like that in the field," Braveheart snapped, "I don't need a shrink, Storm, I need a soldier! Now get back and round up the Elements, pronto!"

Shaking her head Storm Cloud raised her voice in response.

"Celestia almighty, you're such a hard ass when something's biting at you! You might be able to scare off that Blizzard kid, but I'm not some new recruit to push around, Braveheart. I've spent six years fighting and defending her majesty's honor at your side. We've been through a lot together. You can like it or not, but I'm more than just a fellow guard, I'm your friend. I want to help you, captain, even if you just need an ear. It'll do you more good than venting your anger on me or some newbie. Trust me."

Braveheart broke eye contact with the Storm Cloud and looked down the dark path ahead.

"Don't forget, sergeant, I'm Celestia's servant first and your comrade second." the captain grumbled coldly, "Now go, follow your orders."

"Fine, but if you don't want to end up like Lightning Strike, you better get your act together. You need a clear head if you want to lead us through Everfree alive."

Spreading her wings to ready her departure, Storm Cloud continued.

"Before I go, I want to get one thing across to you. I think you made the right choice to let Princess Luna go. It took a lot of guts to admit we were wrong, not even Lightning could outright do it when he was in command. You steered us away from disaster; you shouldn't let it eat at you."

Pausing to think for a moment, the grey pegasus remembered her second objective.

"Oh, right, how could I let that fly by me? Pinkamena sent you something I think you'll find useful. Here, catch!"

Wrenching the black cloak from out of her breast plate, Storm threw the garment to Braveheart who immediately snatched it.

"If you haven't noticed, sir, it's cold outside." the sergeant said, grinning before speeding back to the hut. As soon as she was out of sight, the captain wrapped himself in the thick cloak to shield himself from the winter cold he hated so much. Feeling the lingering warmth of her body against his fur, the captain sighed in relief.

"Thank you Storm..." he whispered, "...my little Celestia."

/

Not ten minutes passed before Storm returned with the party in tow. To Braveheart's pleasure, Lightning had done well in organizing the column: the five Elements were kept in the middle, Storm Cloud and Blizzard Freeze guarded both flanks, and Lightning led at the front. After saluting his commander, the lieutenant spoke.

"Everypony is ready, sir. Sorry for taking so long, but I bet we'll end up saving time in the long run. They've been briefed on everything and are all ready to search the forest with us."

Looking over the Elements, Braveheart could see that the mares, even Pinkie, were very serious about finding their friend. As it was, he didn't really want to talk to them; he wasn't ready to look them in the eyes just yet. Instead, he decided it better to keep matters official and their relationship strictly professional.

"Miss. Rarity," he called to the unicorn, "front and center, if you would."

A bit annoyed to be the subject of the captain's orders, Rarity approached Braveheart with a frown.

"Yes, captain, what help could you possibly want from a 'bitch'?"

Clearly she hadn't forgotten their first encounter.

"...as the only unicorn with us, it would be for the best that you stay at the head with me. I need you to light the path ahead of us, think you can manage that?"

"Not a problem captain," Rarity replied, her horn now shining brightly,"I only request that you keep your words with me to a minimum. A lady does not need to tolerate the type of crass disrespect that comes out of your mouth."

Sighing, Braveheart tried to ignore Rarity's words and turned to Lightning.

"Defend the rear, I'll assume command at the front."

"Yes sir."

Assuming the traditional stoic pose of the Royal Guard, Braveheart pressed forward into the forest, carefully observing the two sets of hoof prints before him. His mind was bent on following them to whatever end.

After marching for awhile, the Elements found the silence between themselves and the guards to be extremely unnerving, especially Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash. The bouncing earth pony had little to complain about except boredom, and that she solved by making a new friend in Blizzard Freeze. Like always, she a big smile, and a warm hug for the new recruit.

"Hiya! I'm Pinkie Pie! I've never seen you around, not even at the Gala! What's your name?"

"Private Blizzard Freeze, ma'am, I just graduated from the academy a few months ago, so it's no surprise if you've never heard of me before."

"Really? Well then...how does it feel?"

"How does what feel?"

"Duhhhhh!" Pinkie jokingly droned, "How does it feel to have your biggest dream come true! You're marching with the Royal Guard, isn't that awesome?"

Blizzard gave a light laugh and nodded.

"Yeah, it feels really great. But you know, my marefriend's probably going to chew me out for it. She's not a big fan."

"Oooo, a _marefriend_, huh?" Pinkie inquired, "What she like?"

"Heh, well, do you know anything about politics?"

"Nope, not really. But in the last election, I voted for the Pirate Party! Arghhh! Hehe!"

Blizzard chuckled a little bit. He remembered how angry Ruby was when the Pirate Party actually managed to get two seats in the lower house.

"Let's just say that she's a little skeptical about the army and what we do."

The young soldier sighed.

"She knows more than most ponies do about the size and scope of the armed forces' activity, and there's always news coming from somewhere that makes her sad or cynical. She knows the country needs the army...she just wishes that I didn't have to be a part of it."

"She's just worried about you," Pinkie replied, "there's nothing wrong about that."

"Yeah, maybe. I just hope that she'll let me back into the house when she finds out that Braveheart recruited me for his team."

"What's she not like about him? I mean personally, I can kinda guess why otherwise."

Blizzard tilted his head to look to see how far the captain was in relation to him. Seeing that he was in the clear, he continued but in a low whisper.

"Well, a couple months ago, the Royal Guard was called in to arrest a bunch of thieving troll thugs. These guys weren't just notorious, they were _big_. About the size of a tree, if you can imagine. Anyway, things got a little out of control when one of them punched out a guard and tried to escape. The details after that are murky, except one. The captain attacked the troll with a maneuver called 'Empyrean Judgement'."

"The what now?"

"I don't know exactly what it looks like, but it's a legendary move that they say only Celestia's chosen can perform. It's also potentially deadly for the guy doing it, bur it's _really_ deadly for the guy's target. I'm pretty sure Ruby told me it was illegal, too. For civilians, that is. I don't see much of the point; word in the barracks is that the princess personally teaches it."

"So the captain..."

"Yeah, the captain killed the troll. Guard said that the troll was being violent, the other trolls say he was executed."

"So which was it?"

"Don't know, and neither does Ruby. But she's always ready to think the worst of the guard. She's very principled when it comes to things like equality and the rule of law. The troll debacle just cemented her view that the Guard is filled with a bunch of racists on a power trip. It's not really fair, I mean, she wasn't there. How could she know what went on? Those trolls were known criminals. They were stepping all over everyone's rights themselves. I'm sorry, but I don't have any sympathy for them."

Pinkie listened to the private and compared what she knew of Braveheart and what was said in the story. The key part that stuck out in her mind, though, was that somepony was hurt by the troll. That meant that Braveheart probably did something in retaliation, just like he did that morning in Ponyville Square or Sweet Apple Acres.

"Anyway, you can see why my marefriend isn't his biggest fan. I'll leave it at that. Tell me something about you."

"Oh!" Pinkie said, happy to see the conversation shift. She was good at listening, but Blizzard's story was a bit too serious for her tastes, "Well, I work at the town bakery, Sugar Cube Corner, back in Ponyville. You should stop in sometime and I'll make you something scrum-diddly-umptious! Cross my heart! Mrs. Cake has even said that I'm getting better at not eating all the best goodies right away!"

"Heh, well I'm not big on the sweets..."

Pinkie eyed him accusingly.

"Okay, maybe I have a weak spot for cake."

"That's what I thought!" Pinkie chirped, "Now, to the important stuff: when's your birthday and what kind of cake is your favorite? Like I always say, nothing tells you more about a pony than the way they like to party! "

Pinkie moved closer to Blizzard with a big grin on her face.

"Maybe you'd like a little wedding cake, huh?"

As Pinkie giggled, the blue pegasus' face burned beat red.

Meanwhile, Rainbow was getting bored with all the silent treatment she was getting from everypony. The active pegasus didn't really like being guarded by a bunch of soldiers, even if they were there to defend her. This whole formation was too rigid and closed off, she really needed to take her mind off of it. Looking to her left, she observed Storm's steady and rhythmic advance through the snow. Her blue eyes were not expressionless like the other guards she met today (Nightshade came to mind); rather, there was a gleaming vitality in her inquiring gaze.

"So, uh, Storm Cloud, is it?" Rainbow asked the guard nervously, "I was just wondering, how did you get on the guard? Sounds like a pretty tough gig."

The sergeant's first reaction was to ignore the pegasus, not wanting to be distracted as she checked the forest for any sign of monsters. However, dealing with Braveheart had left her frustrated. Maybe she should take her own advice; perhaps talking with another pony would do her some good. Besides, Braveheart permitted the guard to speak in special circumstances...maybe she wouldn't get into too much trouble.

"The same way everypony gets what they deserve." Storm replied simply, "Training, studying, practicing."

"Yeah, yeah, but you're not just anypony! You gotta be the best there is, kinda like Nightshade. I mean, you're in the same league as him after all, a freakin' Wonderbolt! What's your secret, what does it really take to be a guard, huh? Were you like a ninja or a secret agent or something?"

"Heh, well, I wouldn't say my life was that exciting. But if you really want to know..."

"Yeah! Why not?"

"Okay then," Storm said with a smile, a bit flattered that the famous pegasus wanted to know more about her, "I grew up on an island just off the east coast called Epona. My father, an earth pony, was a poor sugarcane farmer there while my mother, a unicorn, served her Majesty as the appointed governess of the territory."

"A richy-rich unicorn hooked up with some farmer in the middle-of-nowhere, had a pegasus kid, and raised you on the ground? Dang, that's pretty weird."

"What can I say?" the officer chuckled, "They were of two different worlds, it would only make sense that their kid was of a third one. I'll spare you from the gory details, but let's just say that this meant I didn't fit in really well with what either of my parent's wanted for me. I wasn't a farmer or a noble, I was born for something different. I just needed the chance to prove it."

"Okay, so did you go on, like, some kind of super training regiment or something? Swim the channel? Eat some bugs? Beat up a shark?"

"Ha! Well, let me cut right to it then." Storm replied, "My biggest passion growing up was fencing. It was one of the only classy sort of sports I liked, so my mom supported my hobby hoping that I wouldn't play football with the guys in the fields anymore. I represented the island a couple times in the youth nationals and brought home the gold once and the silver twice. But the weird thing about it was that I still didn't have my cutie mark by the time I was ten."

"What? I got mine when I was like seven. Talk about your late bloomer."

"Fair enough, Rainbow, but not everypony can hope to break the sound barrier. I had a different challenge I had to face...pirates."

"Pirates, are you serious?" Rainbow asked, "You mean yo-ho-ho and a bottle of rum? Shiver my timbers, pieces of eight? Pshh...that's ancient history!"

"You'd be right about that kind, kid," Storm replied smiling, "But pirates are just thieves with boats. My mom's main job was to keep them from raiding the shipping lanes, and she was good enough at it to piss off some pretty big bosses. So one day when I was flying back home from school, I was kidnapped by five pirates and held hostage. They thought they could make my mom step down and get a good ransom out of me. It didn't really work out like that for 'em."

Storm paused and grinned, building up Rainbow's suspense to a painful crescendo.

"Yeah?! Well did you whoop some pirate butt or what?"

Storm let out a light chuckle.

"I wish it was more complicated then that, but yeah. I whooped pirate butt. I tricked one of the dumber ones into untying me. The idiot actually looked surprised when I knocked him out. I can still remember the look on his face! Anyway, I swiped the rapier, and disarmed the others without a problem. By the time the island's militia arrived, I had several scared sea rats at the point of my sword and a shiny new cutie mark; not a dueling foil like I thought it would be but a golden broadsword. The next week I was offered a scholarship to the Royal Military Academy. Once in, it wasn't hard for me to fight to the top. I was selected for Royal Guard duty within my first year."

"That's awesome! I mean, its not legendary, but still, pretty cool. I can't believe you're not captaining this outfit, I mean what has General Shoot-Now-Ask-Questions-Later over here done that's so great?"

Storm resisted the urge to blush at Rainbow's complement.

"Heh, I'm nothing too special, Rainbow. As you said, your story is much more unique. Besides, stories like mine are pretty normal for the guard. What's more impressive is what we do during our service, and nopony has a better record than the captain."

"Yeah, doing what?"

"Well, a lot of...things."

"Like...?"

Storm stopped herself and considered the consequences for divulging state secrets. She knew a lot of sensitive missions the captain had been involved with, but there was one that would get her point across and cause minimal controversy.

She definitely wasn't going to talk about the Troll Debacle. Perhaps the tale she had in mind would do.

"A couple of years ago there was a dragon who had developed a taste for pony. I'm not quite sure how that works, if somepony wandered into his cave and got mixed in with the jewels or something. Go figure. Anyway, this guy would hang out around the passes of the Applelachian mountains and eat travelers who got lost. The princess thought she could please the dragon by sending an envoy with a large offering of treasure to satisfy his palate. But, sure enough, the dragon gobbled her up too. Of course, Celestia wouldn't stand for that kind of aggression and sent Braveheart to deal with it. Long story short, the captain killed the dragon. Alone."

"Oh my!" Fluttershy squeaked, "How could he do that? Dragon or not, he was a living creature. I think we've learned that talking things out is the best solution, I mean, haven't we?"

"Fluttershy, correct?" Storm asked, "You were sent by Celestia to calm a dragon because you have a special gift. Well, Celestia doesn't send a pony into harms way without reason. The envoy sent to this dragon was a naturalist much like yourself, except older and more skilled. She was also less fortunate than you. Sometimes, Fluttershy, if you really love life, you have to learn how to take one to defend it."

Fluttershy was bothered by Storm's response. On one hoof, she really did love all life, but on the other she really, really, really hated dragons. She knew they could be faulted for killing all sorts of smaller animals, even when they were just sleeping.

"Huh, big wonder. The captain is good at killin'." growled Applejack, "Anypony surprised?"

While her friends had been talking with Storm Cloud, Applejack had remained in the back skulking and brooding, her thoughts frequently straying back into darker territory. She put all her will into resisting the hate she had once mastered, but just looking at the captain marching mechanically ahead of her was enough to shatter her self-control. Zecora's black cloaks didn't help the guard either; to Applejack, they looked like faceless ghouls bent on fulfilling their ruthless and lawless goals. Desperately, Applejack tried to think of something else; she couldn't let her own vendettas get in the way of finding Twilight, Luna, or Celestia. But the more the conflicted pony thought, the more her brother's injuries came to mind. Unlike Luna, there was no way of getting past the fact that this monstrous soldier, this Captain Braveheart, had nearly killed her brother and wrecked her home by his own choice. The fact gnawed madly at her patience and discipline to the point she couldn't ignore it any longer. Dark fantasies of justice flashed in her mind, feeding her sense of injury and longing for retribution.

Hearing Rainbow mention the dreaded object of her hate, Applejack's attention shifted to the female guard. The way the soldier praised Braveheart's murderous history infuriated the already troubled pony and broke her self-restraint.

"Well is that it there, ma'am?" Applejack shouted at Storm, stopping the guard in her tracks, "You got anymore terrific tales 'bout the ponies and critters this son-of-a-tramp has hurt? Huh? I betcha' have barrels, don't 'cha? "

"Umm, Applejack, I don't think we need to raise our voices..." Fluttershy said meekly, checking the forest for any sign of unwanted monsters, "It's not..."

"Ah'm sorry Fluttershy, but she opened this can of worms and Ah deserve the answers!"" Applejack replied before turning back to the sergeant, "So how many, huh? How many has the _bastard_ killed."

"Applejack!" Pinkie gasped, shocked that her friend would use such a demeaning word.

"Hey AJ, let's try to cool it, huh?" Rainbow Dash nervously suggested, "Remember what we were talkin' about earlier..."

"What's going on here, Storm?" Lightning Strike interrupted, coming up from behind, "We're falling behind Miss. Rarity, Braveheart is going to have a fit... "

"We can get movin' again once she's answered my question!" Applejack snapped at the officer, "Ah'm not askin' for much, just the truth!"

With Applejack grinding the rear of the company to a halt, Rarity quickly noticed that something was wrong and checked to see what was the matter and, in doing so, deprived the occupied captain of his light.

"Miss. Rarity," Braveheart growled, "get that horn back to work! These tracks are getting harder to see as it bloody is!"

"My apologies, captain," Rarity replied condescendingly, "but I'm not a mule for you to whip and neither are my friends. Now if you'd so kindly pull your head out of the snow, we have a slight problem."

Realizing just how far apart the company had been separated, Braveheart fumed with obvious displeasure.

"Storm! Lightning!" the captain thundered angrily as he flew over to chastise his subordinate officers, "What in all things under Celestia's sun is the matter back here? When I said chit-chat was permissible, I did not mean for you all to take a picnic in the middle of a mission!"

"S-sorry sir," Storm stammered, "but, uh, Miss. Applejack..."

Braveheart quickly turned to glare at the earth pony only to be met with an equally enraged look.

"Well Apple, do you have a problem how I'm running things or do you just got something you want to say to my face?!"

"You bet yer bridges Ah do!" replied Applejack, "Ah don't much like you at all, not one bit. Ya'll respect nothin' but yourself and Celestia, you don't give two beans about other ponies. How many is it, Captain Scumbag? How many of us have you killed because you thought you were right? Maybe its not because of that, maybe you just like seeing us suffer! Whichever it is, Ah don't care captain, 'cause you're a madpony no matter which way you spell it!"

"Still pissed about what I did to your beast of a brother?" Braveheart answered, "Get over it! There's jack shit I can do about it now."

"Not until Ah see justice fer Big Mac! But how can you ever get that? Ah bet you'd shoot yer own kin over a spat!"

At Applejack's words, Braveheart exploded in utter indignation.

"You have the nerve to tell a soldier about the hardships of losing family? Listen here you tree-bucker, those soldiers your Big Mac sent to the ward, they had names too! Here, let me list 'em off to ya! Old Hickory, Silver Skies, Smoky Smithy, Tough Nails, Sneaky Snake, Noble Deed! These pegasi are my _brothers_, and I had to watch them get pulverized by big red 'cause I didn't have the guts to pull the trigger right away. So believe me, Apple, I know every sick idea running through your head right now. I felt the same way when I shot your brother!"

"Shut up!" Applejack shouted, "Ah'm nothing like you!"

"Oh yeah?! Well tell me, what will make you happy? What sort of justice do you want?"

"Ah, Ah want an apology first!"

"That didn't answer my question. You say 'first' only 'cause you know that my words are worth a great big heaping pile of nothing!"

"Yer right; Ah want to see you rot in jail!"

"Ha, don't even bother giving me that shit!" Braveheart laughed, "I felt all your hate when you damn near bucked my jaw off!"

Getting closer to Applejack, the captain whispered in her ear.

"You can cut the charade you're putting on for your friends. Tell me the truth Apple, tell me that you won't be happy until you see my head on a pike."

Applejack was conflicted; she wanted to release what was festering in her heart, but she didn't want to give Braveheart the satisfaction. In the end, however, her wrath won out. Whispering in the captain's ear, Applejack angrily confessed her heart's darkest desires in detail. After she was finished, Braveheart grimly replied, his words far more tranquil than before but still packing a vicious bite.

"...Passion is a powerful thing, kid, it comes straight from the heart. But so does mercy. Even in the heat of battle, I spared your brother's life. You know why? 'Cause I learned a long time ago that death gives only the dead reprieve."

Turning away, Braveheart marched back to the front, motioning to Rarity to join him. Applejack was left bitter and confused; what did he mean he 'spared' Big Mac? He had him beaten to a pulp before shooting him. The captain's parting words meant little to her and only fueled her disdain for the pegasus. But there was not much more she could do now but march on...

Suddenly, a loud crash shook the forest, throwing the ponies off their hooves. The sound of breaking trees and shaking leaves filled the air as something very large was coming their way.

"Circle around the Elements and draw your swords," Braveheart ordered as he guided Rarity back into the middle, "Remember there's no beast in Everfree that can defeat us! Blizzard!"

"Y-y-es sir?"

"That goes for you too, so quit shaking and stand your ground!"

Feeling a gust of cold air buffet his face, Braveheart looked to the sky to find it blotted out by an enormous figure. Descending rapidly, the shadow was revealed by the moon's light to be a crimson dragon, the black luster of his teeth and claws shining ominously in the darkness. The beast shouted in Wrymish, but to the ears of a pony it sounded like a terrifying roar. Rendered into Equestrian, it sounded something like this:

"Ah, the black robes of the Lunar Guard! I can smell the magic of the demon on you, I can taste it upon my lips! Tonight, your lives will be mine!"

Frost and sleep no longer binding him to the earth, Ajax son of Mikhail, had returned with his unquenchable thirst for vengeance.

/

Luna followed Philomena through the forest, not looking back for an instant. The bright burning bird before her was all that mattered to Luna; she lost all sense of time and space as she ran. So severe was the case that she did not see the gorge appear before her, and soon the goddess found herself falling.

For like a second.

Flying back up, she realized where she was and shook her head in anger.

"Why Celly, why do you always have to make me feel so dumb?"

Lying on the horizon was the tower of the moon and her personal citadel, Everfree Castle.

/


	13. Chapter 13 Complete

Frigid Winds and Burning Hearts

Part 13

Burning like a beacon in the night, Canterlot stood on the edge of ruin. The prevailing darkness strangled the spirit of her soldiers and drove her citizens to panic and flight. Their faith in the sun goddess was put to the ultimate test; could it be that Princess Celestia had at last abandoned Equestria and her subjects to the bleakest of fates? Cries of despair echoed throughout the streets as the city's outer wall at last succumbed to the fire's blaze. The once-majestic white stone now lay broken, blackened, and brittle like a graveyard littered with charred bone. Still standing firm before the breach, the city guard silently awaited a similar doom. Like a murder of crows ominously descending to pick at a fresh carcass, a swarm of shadows swooped down from the night sky ready to fill their part of the dark prophecy.

The Eternal City was mortally wounded, its rape and final destruction inevitable.

Or so it seemed in that heart of utter darkness. But it was not to come to pass.

A mighty roar cut through the eerie silence, stunning friend and foe alike. Perching himself on the nearest battlement, a crimson drake stood defiant and proud in the light of the burning stone. Fitted with a suit of shining armor, the warrior bore a mighty broadsword in one claw and the golden banner of Celestia in the other. As the enemy renewed its advance, the drake turned to the soldiers below and gave a toothy grin.

"Blackteeth!" the soldiers muttered amongst themselves joyfully, "The steward has come back!"

"Warriors of Celestia!" Ajax shouted, "Now is the hour of our vengeance! Let us strike down the heretics who dare threatenthe golden empire of Her Majesty most high! Let no quarter be spared! May death take he who shirks from fear of it! We shall fight until the sun triumphs and the moon falls from the heavens!"

Lifting his sword on high, the drake's rallying cry cast any lingering fear and doubt aside.

"The light of justice shines forth!"

"It shall cleanse our land!"

"Glory to the throne of Canterlot!"

"It shall reign eternal!"

"Long live the sun goddess!"

"Live her holy name!"

Reciting the chorus, Ajax charged into the enemy griffon and pegasi ranks like a blur of blood and fire. The shattering of swords and splintering of shields rung throughout the still night. Singing as he slew his adversaries, Ajax inspired Celestia's troops and drove them to greater feats of glory. Knowing the enemy would soon be crushed between the hammer and the anvil, the drake immersed himself in the zen of battle.

His blind fury was channeled throughout his being. Diffused from the center of passion, its excesses were negated, leaving the drake with clarity and focus. The intensity of his rage united with the passivity of his cunning to create both nothing and everything.

He had found peace in war, and war in peace.

His senses were heightened. Not even the subtle quiver of his foes' feathers was lost on him. Ajax could smell the stink of their bodies, taste the foulness of their blood, and hear the grim moans of their passing. Above all other sensations, he felt the final twitch of their life as his sword plunged through flesh and bone.

It was the feeling of victory.

As he cut through them, Ajax at last eyed his prize. Before him was the commander of the battalion, a Lunar Knight cloaked in black and wearing silver armor.

"Oath-breaker!" Ajax roared, "No god can protect you now, not even the Nightmare!"

Unlike his other victims, this knight showed little fear.

"I swore to serve and defend the sisters of creation," he replied firmly, "Twas' Celestia who broke that oath! Princess Luna alone is now worthy of my devotion!"

"Then we shall see whose goddess will prevail!" Ajax rejoined, "Accept my challenge and face me!"

With that, Ajax brought his sword down upon the pegasus, only to have it parried aside. Left in the open, the knight slashed at the dragon, only to find his blade break upon rough scales. Though the strike drew blood, it was far from lethal.

"It takes more than broken glass to kill Her Majesty's chosen." Ajax said with a grin.

A bit surprised, the pegasus tried to draw another weapon, but Ajax grabbed him by the neck and held the knight in place.

"But it takes so little to kill a rebel rat. Don't worry, though. I will show you Celestia's mercy!"

With that, the victorious dragon ran his blade through the knight, twisting it furiously in his entrails before snapping the ill-fated warrior's neck with his powerful claws. Lifting his victim's body up high to show his enemies, Ajax cast the corpse to the ground below.

As his foes shouted in retreat at the sight of their fallen commander, the drake took the opportunity to survey the battle at the mountain's base. The invading ground troops of the enemy army were pressed down the narrow slope, stumbling madly in the hopes of regrouping with the bulk of their forces. But it was not to be as the promised reinforcements from the north cut off the besieging forces from their entrenchments. The fractured enemy armies were decisively outflanked and cut off from one another.

His enemies dispatched in the sky, Ajax charged into the unraveling fray being fought below him. In a terrifying spiral of flame and iron, the drake brought Celestia's wrath down upon her foes. His assault on them was swift and relentless, droves perished in the wake of his rage. Not just pony-kind, but all sorts of foreigners and monsters summoned by the dark powers fell to his might.

It was a massacre.

He was triumphant.

The cheering of soldiers rung throughout the valley, but not because the last of the enemy had retreated westward. No, it was what was in the east that inspired the chorus of adulation. Ajax's focus was broken, but it mattered little to him as he witnessed the vermilion rays of dawn's early light touch the sacred heart of Celestia's domain. With a dozen guards at his side, the ecstatic drake flew to the city gate. Upon entering, Ajax looked in awe as the red light turned to the dazzling gold of morning. From the towers and streets, civilians cried and embraced one another while singing and dancing in the street. Seeing Ajax, the elderly bowed in reverence while the young cheered his name and kissed every stone he touched. Trumpets sounded throughout the city. As Ajax hastened to the citadel, mares began casting flower petals in front of his path. Dead and grey, they cracked beneath his feet like the bones of his enemies, filling him once more with the euphoria of war. The faint aroma of springtime flowers was released with every step as the withered petals sacrificed the last vestiges of life to the triumph of Canterlot's Savior.

Eagerly arriving in the outer court yard, the drake found a large crowd assembled before the castle. Ajax awaited Celestia's expected return from the heavens with unbearable anticipation.

He was not to be disappointed.

A ball of white ethereal light descended from the sky and exploded with tremendous force, bathing the city in its holy magic. A spirit of peace and serenity dispelled the last demons of disorder and fear from the hearts and minds of Canterlot's citizens as they beheld in awe the goddess in their midst.

Like the rest of princess' subjects, Ajax found it difficult to look at the Celestia directly. The intensity of the light surrounding her was incredible; it was as if a star had been plucked from the firmament and brought to Earth in all its terrifying splendor and power. As the light dimmed slightly, the crowd could at last make out their beloved princess in all her grandeur and beauty. Clad in platinum armor with her golden sword at her side, Celestia appeared even more radiant and commanding than she was in her traditional royal regalia. The princess' face was stern as her eyes passed over the ruin and destruction of war, but smiled slightly at the sight of her subjects' admiring gaze and praising cries. Immediately they bowed before her in profound respect.

"My little ponies!" Celestia addressed the crowd in a loud voice, "Arise! This day I bring forth is not mine, but yours. The trials you faced in my absence were fraught with the greatest perils and the mightiest of foes, but still you kept courage!"

Pausing, Celestia looked lovingly and protectively over her subjects before continuing.

"There is no greater wound Nightmare Moon can inflict than taking me away from you, to leave you naked and at the mercy of her ravenous vultures! For a month I have struggled against her malice to peal back the curtain of night. It is now, at last, that I can I stand among you victorious once more. Let the light I bear scatter the Nightmare's servants and send them crawling back to their queen! For I am the goddess of peace. In these difficult times let us remember that peace is far harder to tear from the jaws of war than further battle and bloodshed. There are still more trials that we must face, but it troubles me little. For I know that justice will prevail. So it was against the tyrant Discord, and so it shall be once more against Nightmare Moon!"

The crowd cheered in delight, but none more so than Ajax who let out a joyful roar.

"My little ponies, I ask you to be strong and keep faith. I left you in darkness only to bring you life; the shadow growing in the west will never overcome my love for you. For we are one, my ponies, sovereign and subject. We can never be separated for we are the flesh and blood of Equestria; to be torn from one another is to perish from this earth! Now rest and heal. Feast and be merry. Tomorrow our struggles will continue, this is true, but everyday brings us closer to peace. Once that day arrives, I swear to you that harmony shall be restored and it shall reign triumphant for another thousand years!"

Her speech concluded, Celestia descended to the castle balcony and entered the tower to leave her subjects in jubilation and her dragon in confusion.

The goddess didn't mention his name. She spoke as though the ponies of the city somehow turned back the Nightmare's armies alone, as if their cowering and lamenting was something noble or admirable.

"_Celestia must not be aware of the battle,_" Ajax reasoned, "_All of Her concentration was poured into defeating Nightmare Moon. In Her eyes, even the seat of Her Grace must seem insignificant compared to the infinite universe She fought so hard to defend_."

Taking to the air, Ajax quickly flew to the balcony and thrust open the doors to Celestia's chamber. He knew that entering without permission was a grave offense, but he badly wanted to see the sun goddess. She had forgiven him in the past for his intrusions; she would continue to do so in the future. Ajax was like a son to Celestia after all; her love for him was as infinite as the swirling cosmic sea in her heavens on high.

Confidently entering Celestia's sanctum, the drake was surprised to find the room completely dark. It was as if the last shadows of the Nightmare's wickedness had survived Celestia's purging light by gathering in the safety of the sun goddess' own stronghold. No stranger to darkness, Ajax's eyes adjusted accordingly, allowing the dragon to see his mistress kneeling before an elaborately embroidered banner of a solar eclipse. She was shorn of the brilliant light and the platinum armor that so magnificently marked her glorious return. Naked, she solemnly whispered the words of some forgotten tongue as if trying to seek the intercession of some ancient and forgotten spirit. But who can a goddess possibly pray to? Ajax dismissed the thought and approached the princess.

"Ajax, son of Mikhail." Celestia bitterly addressed the warrior. Though her demeanor was tranquil as a placid lake on a midsummer's eve, her voice was filled with the terrifying turmoil of the high seas. If her tone did not shake Ajax, her use of his proper name did. As a dragonling he had learned as all young children do that you never want to hear your entire name spelled out by an angry authority figure. The invocation is like a spell that exposes the soul to a thousand shames before another word can be even uttered.

And a thousand more were ready to descend.

"I know you think little of my privacy, but must you enter my room with the blood of my ponies' still wet upon your armor? Can you not give me a moment's respite from the stench of death? I cannot bear it now, I cannot!"

Ajax was taken aback. The entire city praised his name, but it did not matter to him. All the honor in the world meant nothing if the princess didn't recognize it. Ajax wanted to show Celestia that he was strong and mature, but he was being treated like a dragonling who romped too much in the mud before coming in-doors.

"My P-princess," he stuttered in response, "This is the blood of your enemies, not your ponies. I lifted the siege and brought the rebels to justice, just as you commanded. Surely I have not failed in carrying out your will?"

Celestia did not respond right away, causing the drake to panic a bit. The darkness of the room did little to ease his mind.

"My Grace, I have not seen the light of day in a month's time and have fought hard to see your Majesty return..."

Celestia sighed and ignored him, choosing to linger in deep thought instead. A half an hour passed, but Ajax didn't budge from where he stood. Seeing that he was still there, the goddess gathered herself and complied with the clueless dragon's request.

"Very well Ajax, but I beg you. Spare me from your talk of bloodshed."

With a flick of magic, Celestia tore the curtains from the tower windows, flooding the room with light and revealing herself completely to Ajax's sharp eyes. What he saw disturbed the drake beyond anything else he had ever witnessed. Celestia's bones protruded from her body, a clear indication that her magic, having been pushed to its highest of limits, had eaten away at her. Looking into her eyes he saw they were blood-red and filled with weariness. Her face was singed by several burns, each tarnishing the purity of Celestia's white coat . It was as if Nightmare Moon had branded the Princess for her own. The thought infuriated Ajax, but before he could say anything, Celestia cut him off.

"You disobeyed me, Ajax. I entrusted the defense of the city to you."

"And I defended it."

"No, I gave control of its garrison to you, not the army. You had no right to take control of the Northern Legion; now the enemy stands poised to take the coast and cut us off from the few allies we have. The siege has spread from Canterlot to the entire domain now...and so many already dead..."

"But-but what was I supposed to do?" Ajax replied incredulously, "Canterlot was starving and ready to fall. We were outnumbered. I had to do something to defend the city."

"I told you to wait for me or your superiors at the front." Celestia sternly responded, "I approved this past month's military strategies and contingency plans before I left. In the occasion of a siege, the orders were to hold up and conscript if necessary. I saw to it that Canterlot could endure a year-long assault if need be."

"Princess Celestia, the United Griffon Republic declared war on us as soon as you left. But before the cowards declared anything, the griffon delegates at court sabotaged our stores and fled. The next thing I knew the Nightmare's armies were outside the gate. That's why we couldn't hold out, we had nothing. All of our plans were useless, especially when their armies threatened to breach the wall. They used some type of magic, I've never seen such an explosion in my life. It burned even rock."

The blood drained from Celestia's face as she gave Ajax a weak look.

"It was no magic." the goddess muttered "Magic is not a weapon..."

"Then what was it?"

"A forbidden type of alchemy. It seems my student is not content with sewing the seeds of but one war, but a thousand others with her foolishness."

Ajax wasn't sure to who Celestia was exactly referring to, but he guessed that it was Morning Star, the forger and leader of the opposing armies.

"A gift from Nightmare Moon, no doubt." Ajax growled, "What new madness will she unleash on this world next?"

Celestia stood up, her legs slightly buckling as she began to pace nervously.

"And I knew nothing of it." Celestia said, the sound of panic rising in her voice, "The armies, the griffons, the alchemy. Nothing."

"My Princess if I could be of..."

"Those thankless griffons! They'd still be in caves if weren't for my empire's example!"

"May I-

"Have I fallen so far that this naive unicorn can play me for a fool...again?"

"Princess Celes-"

"I..I have failed my duties to my subjects. I swore upon my mother's name that I would deliver them from this suffering, but twenty years have passed and the fires of war still burn across my lands. If Canterlot were to fall...I would die with it...and with me...everything."

As she said these words, the goddess' knees gave way to exhaustion.

"Solnyshka!"

Ajax quickly moved to Celestia's side and caught her before she could fall. Breathing heavily, Celestia faced the drake and weakly smiled.

"It has been a long time since you called me that, Ajax."

"I'm sorry your Grace, I did not mean to speak as children do..."

"No, no! Please don't say such things! Never be sorry for that, Ajax. It is not an insult to show me your love."

"I only wish to treat you with the respect you deserve."

"Mishka , my precious little dragonling, I need more from you than cold respect. Anyone can give me that. Truly, it feels like that's all they offer me in this age. Besides, no title warms my heart more than being called your little sun."

To Ajax's embarassment and displeasure, Celestia pulled out his old nickname too. The dragon blushed. It was unbecoming for a feared warrior to be so intimate with anyone, lest of all his mistress.

"Besides, if you wanted to respect me," Celestia smirked, "you would have knocked on my chamber door before entering."

The princess chuckled lightly, but Ajax continued to look at her with concern. For once, Celestia's humor couldn't mask her painful weakness. The fear the drake felt was like that of a child who discovers the frailty of his invincible mother. Choking back his pride, Ajax ceased to be a soldier and became a dragonling once more.

"Solnyshka, please, you can't keep doing this," the drake pleaded as he caressed Celestia's cheek with his rough claws "You can't fight Nightmare Moon and command the army. It's...it's too much for you to handle by yourself."

Celestia shook her head.

"No, Ajax. I can't let my generals run free. If I were to do as you ask, they would seek to outdo the other for the position as Supreme Commander. I don't want glory hounds eating each other for power. Their loyalty I don't question, but I will not trust them with my sword."

A silence grew between the two as Ajax ran his claws through her magnificent mane.

"...I can do it." the dragon said, "They would never challenge me. I can take up your sword."

"Ajax son of Mikhail," Celestia replied sternly, pulling away from him, "I will not let you be a part of this war anymore."

The drake recoiled as if the wind were knocked from him.

"I've studied battle and tactics under Commander Typhoon and sat on your War Council for years!" Ajax argued, "You promised that you'd let me command once I proved myself an-and I-I saved Canterlot after you gave me stewardship! What more do I need to do?"

"Ajax, I never meant for you to fight." Celestia said in a low voice, "I thought I gave you the safest possible assignment. I did not believe they would dare attack Canterlot..."

"But you were wrong, and they did." Ajax sharply replied, "But I won. My sword cut through a hundred rebels today and emerged with only a scratch."

Celestia turned away from Ajax and closed her eyes. The drake knew she did not like the details of battle.

"Don't pretend I've never killed, Solnyshka." Ajax continued, "I've fought in battles before this day and not once have I lost. I can turn the tide of war back if you just give me a chance!"

The princess slowly opened her eyes and shook her head once more.

"Mishka, war leaves far graver wounds on the mind than the body. You are too young, I don't want this war to be your life. It will only bear you pain and misery..."

"It is too late for that. I was born into this war and I will see it end, no matter the cost."

Pausing, Ajax embraced Celestia and ran his claws through her flowing mane. His words, once fierce, were now tender and gentle.

"I am not a dragonling anymore, Solnyshka. I can help you! There's nothing more I want in this world than to remove this burden from you. I can command, I can fight! Together we can win this war, you in the heavens and I on the battlefield!"

A moment of silence passed between the two as Celestia nuzzled Ajax affectionately. After thinking and struggling over her answer, Celestia at last broke the silence.

"My little drake, you ask much from me. But what you say is true, I...I can't keep order in both heaven and on earth. You are strong and smart for your age, Mishka, I don't doubt your abilities. But I fear..."

Celestia stopped and looked tenderly into Ajax's eyes.

"What?"

"...I only fear, Ajax. But I can't afford to be its slave, not in dark times like these. Not ever..."

Breaking from the embrace, Celestia stood up tall and regal despite her weariness. With the glow of her horn, Celestia floated her sword and scabbard to Ajax.

"Kneel, Ajax." Celestia boomed in the Royal Canterlot voice. The dragon immediately obeyed.

"Ajax son of Mikhail, defender of the throne, faithful knight and steward of Canterlot! I, Princess Celestia, goddess of the sun and sovereign empress of Equestria give to you my authority to rule the realm in my absence. Take this, my sword, as a testament to my will. With it, may you help me purge Nightmare Moon and restore order in Equestria."

Taking the sword from the air, Ajax slowly drew the blade from its golden scabbard. As he gripped the hilt, the red drake felt a wave of adrenaline rush through him. It was as is if Celestia's own strength now ran through his veins giving him an incredible sensation that bordered on ecstasy. His goddess, his princess, his mother had at last approved of his aspirations and accepted his appeal to lead the armed forces as its unquestionable leader.

Completely unhindered.

Turning to Celestia with a big smile, Ajax dropped the formalities and hugged the princess tightly. This time, however, she felt cold as if her white coat was nothing but a mixture of snow and ice. It felt as though he was embracing a corpse. Pulling away, he looked into Celestia's eyes only to find those of a viper.

Of Nightmare Moon.

–

Ajax opened his eyes to find himself covered in a heavy layer of snow. The winter cold, being no friend to dragons, constricted his movement and dulled his thinking. As he tried to adjust to the harsh and unfavorable climate, the red dragon's mind turned to the vision Luna had left him. Was it dream or memory? It was difficult to distinguish. Though the most important day in his life, it still occurred a thousand years ago. He warmly remembered receiving Celestia's blessing, but her reluctance to give it did not fit in with the heroic narrative of his life that he played over and in his head. And those eyes...

"Enough." he growled, "It matters little. The witch would love nothing more than to fill me with doubt. Wretched nightmares bleed into tainted memories after all. In the end both are only distractions..."

Rising to his feet and unfurling his mighty wings, Ajax shook the snow from his body and looked for any sign of Luna's presence. Finding nothing, he cursed under his breath and took to the skies to continue his search. Though limited by the freezing cold, Ajax pressed onward over the boughs of Everfree, his eyes darting about to see any sign of life unfortunate enough to cross his warpath.

After an hour or so, he saw the unmistakable light of unicorn magic emanating from below. Descending, he smashed into the earth with terrifying strength. Facing his prey, he smiled upon seeing their dress. The simple black cloak of the Lunar Guard, those apostate knights who found humility in their ragged appearance, filled him with both relief and rage.

Nightmare Moon was not too far away.

As he stared at them, the ponies began to chatter madly among themselves, their abject fear being made instantly clear to him.

Oh how he liked to see them squirm.

Laughing, he knew that none of the him would survive his judgment. He was, after all, the vicar of Celestia, pure and unconquerable.

Nothing could stop him.

–

"D-d-dragon!" Fluttershy squealed, jumping into the air and trying to make a dash for it.

"Get down, Fluttershy!" Rarity hissed, pulling her skittish friend back down to earth, "I've heard that some dragons can't see you if you don't move. They're not a very perceptive lot."

"Quiet, both of you." Storm Cloud whispered, "Let us take care of this."

"What are you, Captain Butthead, Lt. Babysitter, and Private Shivers gonna do that we can't?" Rainbow asked, "This dragon's got nothing on the Elements of Harmony."

"Sorry kid," Lightning answered, "but this babysitter has lost his charge. If you have Twilight Sparkle hiding under your wings, by all means, send this dragon to the moon."

Rainbow's face scrunched in displeasure.

"That's what I thought," Lightning continued, "Like it or not, our best bet is on the captain's actions."

"Like pig spit it is!" Applejack interjected, "You can't fight stupid with stupid. If anypony can butt heads with an overgrown lizard it's Fluttershy. How 'bout it, Shy, can you give him the ol' stare?"

"Umm, no thank you..."

As his party argued behind him, Braveheart locked eyes with the gigantic crimson dragon before him. It had to be more than twice the size of the one he had killed, and that had been a desperate fight. That beast was a young fool who didn't know his place, but this dragon with teeth like obsidian and claws like black diamonds was something different. There was a gleaming flame in his eyes that pierced the darkness and spoke ominously of a power that had been tested through the ages time and time again.

Even with Celestia's sword at his side, the captain knew this foe was beyond him. Unfortunately, this would mean that he'd have to play that game he always seemed to lose. Terribly.

Cautious diplomacy.

"All right dragon, I don't know you, you don't know me, you don't know anypony here." Braveheart growled, "So get your ruby munching hide out of the way and we'll leave it at that. Kapish?"

As soon as the words escaped his mouth, Braveheart slapped himself for losing so horribly once more. To his surprise and chagrin, the dragon only laughed harder at his words. There was something malevolent about his cackle that struck the captain with fear, something insane. Standing his ground, Braveheart hesitated before speaking up again.

"What dragon? Don't you speak Equestrian? If you get out of the way, I promise you'll get all the treasure you could ever possibly want...to sit on. Or eat. Or whatever it is you lizards do with the stuff."

"Ha! Yes, I speak the language, and far better than you I see." Ajax replied, "I've gutted trolls with fairer tongues!"

Braveheart's left eye gave an irritated twitch. Normally he'd have Lightning take care of the talking, his lieutenant was pretty good at being detached and making things impersonal. However, it was one thing to have him speak to civilians and quite another to throw him in front of a dragon. Braveheart had to do this himself, for better or worse.

"Whatever, do we have a deal?"

Pausing his laughter, Ajax lowered his face to Braveheart's level and blew a billow of black smoke at the captain. As it filled his lungs and stung his eyes, Braveheart coughed and glared angrily at the dragon.

"Look pal, you don't know who you're messing with here!"

"Oh, I know exactly who you are." Ajax said wearing a wry grin, "I've met you a hundred times. Sure, your eyes aren't quite the same, nor do you look the same color from when I last left your body hanging from the gibbet. Yet you are unmistakable to me, knight of darkness."

"What did you call me?"

"By your title, heretic, does that not honor you? Or should I call you the Nightmare's slave? It'd be more fitting."

Braveheart had expected this dragon to be different, but they way it spoke to him was truly unsettling. His eloquent words displayed intellect, yes, but their content was an exhibition of an ancient madness that the captain couldn't grasp.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Braveheart replied, "I have only one mistress, and I can sure as shit tell you it's not Nightmare Moon."

"Liar, your dress and manners betray you." Ajax coolly answered, "You are the spitting image of the Lunar Guard. A crass, ignorant, barbaric, and lawless beast draped in the color of sin and shadow! An oath-breaker if ever I've seen one!"

"Who are you, dragon?" Braveheart asked, doing his best to keep his calm by gritting his teeth, "Who are you to call me a traitor? And to whom? Last I checked, you dragons served only yourselves."

Ajax loved this question, but before he could answer, he was interrupted.

"His name is Jack or something and don't get him started on it." Rainbow Dash spoke up, "The guy has a knack for drama and long-winded stories like no other."

Upon hearing the pegasus' raspy voice, the dragon sneered in displeasure.

"Rainbow Gnat! You insignificant little insect!"

"Hey, I call them as I see 'em." Rainbow replied nonchalantly.

"Kid, you know this dragon?" Braveheart asked, impressed by the young mare's blunt boldness.

"Well, duh. I already told you, this is the dragon that tried to kill Luna."

Braveheart gave pause. Once more he was confronted with a piece of the puzzle that fit perfectly with the Elements' account and what he saw in Zecora's hut. Again, he was conflicted. He didn't know whether to feel salvation or damnation from the revelation.

"Yeah, so what else do ya know, kid?" he asked Rainbow Dash.

"If I remember right, this guy says he fought in a war against Luna a thousand years ago. Oh, and he has a really, really big thing for Princess Celestia. And by big, I mean kinda psycho."

At the mentioning of the princess, Ajax's brow furrowed and a puff of smoke escaped his nostrils.

"You have no right to speak Her name!"

"Whatever Jack..."

"My name is not Jack!" Ajax roared, "I am Ajax son of Mikhail, Supreme Commander of the Equestrian Armed Forces, Steward of Canterlot, Guardian of Everfree, and beloved ensign to Her Majesty Princess Celestia!"

"Potato, potatoe." Rainbow said dismissively.

"Silence!"

"I mean, are you kidding me with that list? You're a dragon in the middle of nowhere who gets his kicks from giving history lectures and creeping on and on about Princess Celestia. You're not exactly the prince in shining armor you think you are."

"You are as insolent as you are loud." the dragon growled ,"I suppose you will deny your fealty to the moon goddess as well?"

"Tch, why'd I do that?" Rainbow scoffed, " I stood by the princess when I kicked ya dead square in the teeth, you think I'd ditch her because you decided to swing that ugly face of yours back my way? Forget it! I'm not a yellow-feathered coward like you."

Ajax was about to respond with a burst of flame, but Rainbow didn't let him.

"You think it takes courage to stand up for Celestia? The most powerful pony in the world? Hate to break it to you, but that's about as brave as crossing the street. I'm not perfect, but I'll stand up for anypony who's not given a fair shot or a second chance. Luna deserves one. I bet Celestia gave you one too, but you're not dragon enough to 'fess up to your mistakes."

At the pegasus' words, Ajax grimaced as if an arrow had pierced his hide.

"I've had enough of you!" the dragon growled before facing Braveheart, "So you claim that you don't serve Nightmare Moon, and yet you keep company with her courtiers? Do you take me for a fool?"

The two soldiers stared at one another, neither blinking once.

As he stood in silence, the captain thought of the gutsy pegasus who last sparred with the dragon. Rainbow's brashness had shocked everypony, even Braveheart. The captain, despite the tense situation, found himself admiring and approving not only of Rainbow's fearless loyalty, but the way she had brought the dragon down a notch with a few simple words. The pegasus was courageous in a way few ponies were. Some would call spiting in a dragon's face folly, but this pegasus knew the dragon's weakness and exploited it: pride, the bane of many warriors.

Including himself.

Rainbow's brief lesson in humility was one he had learned early and often forgot. It was usually Celestia or Storm, though, who reminded him of it, not some kid. But then again, this wasn't just any kid. The Element of Loyalty was indeed an awesome sight to behold.

In regards to Ajax, the captain was daunted by the dragon's claims. It was now of little wonder how the beast injured Princess Luna. Not only that, it explained why a dragon spoke and acted like a noble knight of the Canterlot Court rather than a greedy scaled thug. But what was of particular interest was the title the two shared.

After a minute-long stand-off, Braveheart replied.

"No, what I see is a no-good pretender."

With one quick movement, Braveheart tore back his hood and revealed the unmistakeable red crest of his golden helm to the dragon.

"You love to talk like a noble, don't ya? Then let me put this into words you'll get, [i]Commander[/i]. I am Braveheart, Captain of Her Majesty's Royal Guard and Her one true ensign! In Her name I order you to stand down and submit to Her will."

To Braveheart's surprise, the dragon didn't even blink.

"Was that supposed to cow me?" Ajax laughed, "You forsook claim to all royal titles the moment I caught you aiding the Nightmare's disciples. The only difference between you and them is what fashion you wear. What lies beneath is the same."

Ajax moved his head closer to Braveheart and whispered sinisterly.

"_A traitor_."

The captain pulled away and shook his head.

"You're crazy."

"Crazy?" Ajax asked, "Then swear it. Swear on Celestia's life and honor. Is it not true that you are protecting Nightmare Moon's servants?"

Braveheart hesitated and thought wildly for a way out. He could draw Celestia's sword to prove himself, but he'd be an idiot to brandish the blade. Dragons didn't take too kindly to aggression from ponies, no matter who they are. Just the notion that Braveheart had the guts to challenge him would be an unforgivable insult to Ajax's honor. Battle would become unavoidable.

The red dragon, seeing the captain's anxiety, gave a toothy smile as he awaited Braveheart's admission. The answer that was returned, however, surprised both soldiers.

"He ain't servin' any Nightmare Moon!" Applejack shouted, breaking to the fore and giving the dragon a nasty look. "None of us are. Ah swear that on my Granny's good name, bless her heart."

"Foolish little pony, oaths are not to be taken lightly!" the dragon shot back, "May I thousand plagues fall on your kin!"

"I ain't lyin', dragon, I don't hardly ever lie. I ain't got the heart for bein' a weasel." Applejack replied with stout conviction, "First off, Ah fer one don't serve anypony. Ah help 'em. Second, Nightmare Moon's been pushin' up daisies for more than a year now. Us five and Twilight did the honors."

"A ridiculous tale!"

"Hush up an' let me finish!" Applejack barked back, impressing everypony, especially the captain, with her ferocity, "Today Ah helped the true goddess of the night, Luna, Celestia's little sister, to search for the missing princess. That's what we're all here doin', tryin' to find a way to get Celestia back and yer not doin' us a lick of good by talkin' down to us with yer threats. All yer doin is grabbin' at anything that makes us look bad and glazin' over the truth so that you can feel like the good guy! But hey, you wouldn't be the first today."

Applejack's eyes shifted to Braveheart, all her disdain for him present in her gaze.

"Ah must be seein' doubles now, 'cause Ah can't tell the two of you apart for the life of me!"

The captain shifted uncomfortably at the farmer's comment. At the same time, he was struck by Applejack's decision to defend him Sure, she had a lot at stake here too, but the gesture was something Braveheart had difficulty understanding. He was so sure that Applejack was no different from anypony who suffered loss. Her hatred for him should have bled over into acts of vindictive pettiness, but here she stood up for not just him, but for a reality she too had found distasteful. Her sense of honesty, although teetering between noble conviction and bitter admission, underscored her commitment to an undeniable truth. It was an unwavering principle that nopony, not even Braveheart, could change. The Element of Honesty was a pony by blood, but her spirit was something far greater that spoke of the divine, of Celestia.

Braveheart could not help but feel jealous of Applejack's strength. He felt inferior by comparison, something he hated more than anything. Though he felt challenged, the captain grudgingly found respect for Applejack.

"Luna is just another name for Nightmare Moon," Ajax replied, unamused that he would even have to explain, "It is just as the insect so crudely put it. Potato, potatoe. She is an indivisible evil, no illusion she can conjure will ever change that."

"My, I never thought a lonely dragon sleeping in Everfree to be so learned in matters of the spirit, not to mention current events." Rarity said, sarcastically entering the conversation, herself breaking from the encirclement of guards. Using her horn for light, the unicorn looked intently at the dragon, sizing him up accordingly.

"Shame, you have such a refined tongue and the most beautiful onyx teeth imaginable. You could make quite the stir in Canterlot." she said, "But your arrogance betrays your simple mind, dear. You might as well be roaring at us as common dragons do."

As if on cue the dragon let loose a mighty roar that blew Rarity's mane back and slightly frazzled the fashonista.

"...Yes, like that." she said, trying to fix her mane back into its original shape, "Now think Ajax. How long have you slept?"

Ajax glared at Rarity for a moment, bur answered her question nonetheless.

"...earlier this year. It is difficult to tell."

"And before that?"

"Only ten years."

"Yes, good. Now, consider the idea that time and life for the rest of the world keeps going on while you sleep. The one you knew has been gone for ages, and a lot has changed since."

"Really?" the red dragon responded snidely, "Unicorns are still as condescending and pretentious as I remember them to be."

"Forgive me if it seems that I'm spelling this out to you," Rarity calmly answered, "but you address us so rudely in archaic terms and demeaning names. Lunar Guard? I haven't the faintest idea of who they were or what they did, save maybe protect Luna. What is even more stressful about this whole mess is that you haven't asked us our names or about the signs of the time. For Celestia's sake, you outright dismissed Applejack's news without a thought or showing her an ounce of respect!"

"Respect? The only being I respect and honor is Princess Celestia. Most of you ponies are ungrateful and weak; it only attests to Her Majesty's power that your race survives. The lot of you are like dust to me; irritating and everywhere. Complaining, fighting, sinning. Disgusting beasts unfit to kiss Her Majesty's hoof!"

At the dragon's declaration, Braveheart grew even more uneasy. Looking at Rarity, however, gave him a strange sense of assurance. The elegant unicorn's confidence and sense of dignity made her strong, this he had learned from a painful slap. Even as Celestia's servant towered above her, Rarity's composure remained unchanged. A look of determination was illuminated by the light of her horn, a shimmer of hope in an all-consuming darkness. The Element of Generosity was able to understand the dragon while also trying to guide him back to the light. Braveheart saw there was something fascinating in her demeanor, something almost royal...no, not just that. Something like a princess.

"So, you answer to power. Unsurprising for a dragon, to be frank. But tell me Ajax, have you ever heard of the Elements of Harmony?"

"They are the ultimate weapons of the sun goddess. She alone can control their might."

"Tsk-tsk, poor dear,." Rarity simply replied, "How wrong you are..."

Pulling the wool coat she was wearing from around her neck, the unicorn showed off the sapphire encrusted necklace to the dragon.

"See this lovely jewel and how it matches my cutie mark? This is the channel from which the power of the Element of Generosity flows. My power."

At last something managed to catch Ajax's curiosity. The dragon reared his enormous head towards Rarity and eyed the jewel.

"Impossible, 'tis nothing but a fraud." he muttered, "Nopony but Celestia can survive the intensity of its power, let alone wield it."

"Oh, it's quite genuine. My friends and I represent the six elements that uphold this world. Isn't that curious? Who would think that so much would depend on six friends? We were brought together and united by destiny's benign hand to be given the task of taking up Celestia's mantle when she was all but powerless. I admit that I don't know how this came to be, but it is as undeniable as your love for the princess is."

"Blasphemous witch!" Ajax shouted, "If what you say is true, show me that you can harness its magic! Strike me down with it!"

Rarity paused, thinking quickly about how to respond. She was hoping that the dragon would blindly respect a power greater than Celestia's. Unfortunately, by challenging the sun goddess, she had inadvertently tread into dangerous territory.

Thankfully her friends had her back.

"Silly, if we did that, you'd be a big ol' rock!" Pinkie giggled, bouncing up to the dragon's face, "I don't think Princess Celestia would like us stone-ifying her most favorite and special dragon, don't you?"

Ajax did as all do when meeting the exuberant pink pony: he looked her over in disbelief.

"...I suppose..." he growled.

"Exactly! By the way, I'm Pinkie Pie, but you can just call me Pinkie 'cause that's shorter and I know when you just want to get something quick across but you have to spend all that time saying all those extra words you don't really need to say to be understood, it eats up like a whole extra millisecond. I mean, who wants to give that up just 'cause they think they need to say "Pie" every time they want to talk? I mean think about it, my friends could have wasted three whole seconds this year just saying my name! You know what I mean?"

The dragon shook himself and stared for a moment, trying to decipher just exactly what she said.

"Time means less to me than it does for your own kind, pony." Ajax said slowly, his fury subdued by Pinkie's strangeness, "A second could be a year; a month no more than a day. Only the millenia is of any worth to me as I stand my lonely watch over the forest."

Hearing this Pinkie nearly frowned. The way that Ajax talked so much made it sound like he had spent forever alone with nopony to listen to him. This dragon had no friends other than the princess; it was no wonder why he was so mean. If she could change that, maybe she could change him.

"What's life without time?" Pinkie asked, "Every moment is precious and unique if you have the guts to go out there and make it your own! It's like what Rarity was sayin', we can live for a better day, one full of sunshine and flowers, or we can keep fighting that same old fight the same way over and over with nothing ever changing. Remember when I said how Celestia wouldn't like it if you were a rock? Well Ajax, you're kind of like a rock all ready."

Pausing for breath, Pinkie could see that she still had Ajax's attention. She needed to connect with him someway, and it had to be from the heart. The dragon seemed to have a flare for the dramatic, so Pinkie tried her utmost best to make her message as exciting as possible to him.

"But that's okay. I grew up on a rock farm, so I know a thing or two about rocks and let me tell ya, even a boring rock can become something that can put a smile on somepony's face. Sure it takes time, and yeah, they're hard, cold, and dull most of the time. The conditions just have to be right; sometimes ya got to be upfront: 'heat 'em up and stamp 'em down' as dad used to say. But other times you gotta take it slow and let nature do most of the work. But even then, ya gotta rotate them by the hour to make sure every bit of it gets the polishing it needs. By the time harvest comes, all you need is a little muscle to crack 'em open. And that's when you see it. A thousand brilliant shining stars locked inside, each one unique and special. Crazy, huh? Who'd think that something so rough and tough could be so awesome and beautiful?"

Patting the dragon on the snout, Pinkie smiled.

"The same goes with making friends! Even your biggest enemy can be your friend tomorrow if you just reach out and treat them in the right way! I mean what is an enemy anyway? They're just future friends we got a bad start with, that's all. Sure, first impressions are important, but as my granny said "you can't judge a book by its cover." 'There's always something deeper down inside that brings us all together."

Pinkie moved in and whispered none too quietly.

"Do you know what that something is?"

"Here it comes..." Rainbow Dash said rolling her eyes.

"A party!"

Pinkie's heartfelt words moved the captain profoundly. It seemed that this pink pony before him embodied all the virtues and values espoused by the sun goddess to the point of near parody. But the Element of Laughter was not a joke, she was all that pony-kind strove to become. To embrace the innocence of foals is an ancient wisdom, but it is also a paradox that does not lend itself easily to the trials of life. Pinkie defied all reason by internalizing the inherent contradiction and proving the impossible to be quite possible. Reflecting over the course of the day, Braveheart realized that the eccentric mare's gushing idealism had saved him from his own realist conceit. If it was not for her, he would have come down with an iron hoof on the night princess and the ponies who got in his way, perhaps dooming the earth. Pinkie's unshakeable faith in her fellow pony was strange and unorthodox to him, but she had shown time and again that it was not misplaced. Indeed, Braveheart was shown to be the fool for placing his faith in brute strength and authority. For this reason the captain couldn't quite understand Pinkie's wisdom, but neither could he fully grasp Celestia's at times. In a strange way, he felt comforted by this fact.

He could only hope Ajax felt the same way.

Indeed, the dragon had not taken his eyes off Pinkie Pie. Staring at her for a few brief moments, Ajax let out a light chuckle. Pinkie, happy to see this, giggled in response. Soon the two were roaring with laughter, but it did not spread to anypony else. The others looked nervously as Ajax brought himself under control to smile grimly at Pinkie.

"To think the Nightmare's jester should make me laugh like a dragonling! I have not heard such foolishness told with such a straight face since last I saw Morning Star, wretched and accursed! You honestly expect me to believe in the power of friendship, fool?"

The dragon leered at Pinkie who nervously kicked at the ground and avoided eye contact.

"Uh, well...you know...kinda?"

"Ha! Well let me tell you about the true nature of friendship," the dragon growled, "the more 'friends' you claim to love, the weaker you become. In war or in life, you utterly give yourself to them until they become part of you, eating away at your soul like insatiable parasites. The more you care for them, the greater it detracts from what needs to be defended most: goddess and nation. Friendship dilutes reason and distills a thousand stupid ideas. War quickly teaches you this. If I had followed your example, I, would have been destroyed by Nightmare Moon and Morning Star. But you'd like that, wouldn't you proveyor of lies?!"

"That's not what I meant at all..." Pinkie replied, almost at loss of words. She couldn't believe how the dragon twisted friendship of all things into being an evil.

"Enough! I have heard enough from you pest!" Ajax interrupted raising his claw to the sky, "Judgment shall fall on your head first!"

Braveheart gripped his sword in response to the dragon's threat. He'd be damned if he let the dragon touch even one of Pinkie's curly locks.

But he would not be the first one to come to Pinkie's defense.

The captain, although ready and alert, was put to shame by the swift wings of Fluttershy, that meek little pegasus he had nearly forgotten about. She was known throughout Equestria for her reclusive, withdrawn nature and yet here Fluttershy stood between friend and foe with her wings protectively outstretched and her head held up high. The pegasus' body quivered nervously, but her expression was stern and resolute.

"Ajax son of Mikhail!" Fluttershy scolded, causing the dragon to recoil, "You should be ashamed of yourself! Life and death are not things you can give and take as you see fit. Not even Celestia can give life to the dead, so who do you think you are to deliver death to the living?"

Ajax briefly glanced away and looked back to Fluttershy. It was clear by his face that he didn't have an answer. Seeing her chance to get the upperhoof, the pegasus gave the red dragon a piercing stare, the same one that had brought the dragon of the lonely mountain to its knees. At the sight of Fluttershy, the dragon impulsively flinched but quickly gathered himself and met her gaze with his own fiery, leering eyes. Unlike Ajax, Fluttershy was not daunted by her adversary. The Element of Kindness was not about to allow wickedness to triumph.

"Please leave us alone Ajax!" she demanded, her usually timid manner subsumed by her keen sense of urgency and danger, " Let us have a chance to save our world for a better tomorrow. If you want to live in the horrid past that made you a monster, I suggest that you...you go back to sleep and dream."

"I will not be subdued by the stare of some yellow winged rat!" Ajax retorted, "I am the spirit of the earth incarnate and guardian of this forest! You will submit to me!"

The two stared at one another with incredible intensity as they became locked in a battle of wills. To Ajax's amazement, however, he soon found himself trembling as if his entire being was on the verge of collapse. The painful truth struck him hard. He could not defeat Fluttershy. Somehow, this pegasus had a bond with the earth stronger than his own. It was an impossible idea. He couldn't accept it.

So he didn't.

Flapping his wings to create a mighty gust, the crafty dragon weaseled his way out of the contest by blowing Fluttershy off her hooves and into the forest. Hearing a nasty clunk, everypony looked to see that Fluttershy had slammed her head into a tree.

"...Ouch."

Ajax would have laughed, but he was growing weary of all these challenges to his power and authority.

"This trial is over!" the dragon roared, "You are all guilty, guilty of treason, guilty of blasphemy, guilty of life! In Celestia's name, I damn you all to death!"

Pinkie's tail twitched and she immediately responded. Hopping to the side she narrowly avoided being crushed by the dragon's claws.

Seeing the beast lash out at last, Braveheart knew the time for action had come. He had to meet senseless aggression with concerted aggression, the dragon had forfeit all other options the moment he attacked Pinkie.

The ringing of steel resounded throughout the forest as the captain drew Celestia's sword and thrust the blade into the dragon's outstretched claw, just managing to penetrate the thick scales. Howling in pain, the dragon withdrew his hand and looked in awe at the blood that slowly rose to the surface. With fear and anger he turned his attention back on Braveheart only to be devastated by the sight of Celestia's golden blade in the mouth of a pathetic little pegasus.

"How dare you take my own sword up against me!"

"You fucked up, dragon." Braveheart quipped, slamming the sword into the earth, "I am Celestia's ensign, this sword I hold is hers, not yours. In her name I defend the Elements of Harmony who bear her image and...and her little sister too, Princess Luna."

"Fool!" the dragon sneered, "Celestia is my sword, and I hers! Our union is bound by blood of which means you will never know! That piece of steel you hold is only a symbol of her love for me. If you wish a clean, quick death, give it back to me."

"I've never been one for an easy death." Braveheart growled, "Even if I were, I'd doubt you could give me one. You can't even win a staring contest against a timid little pegasus without having to cheat, not exactly the stuff of legends."

"Silence! Let the fates determine who the true seraph among us is! He who reigns victorious in battle shall alone hold Her sword aloft!"

Braveheart hesitated for a moment, looking back to the Elements and his soldiers. His gaze met with Storm's for a brief second. Despite the apprehension in her eyes, she gave him a reassuring smile. He gave her a quick wink in response.

"You wanna duel? Fine, let the best soldier prove themself." Braveheart answered, facing the dragon, "I'm not a stranger to dragon slaying, maybe I'll have Miss. Rarity here make a nice pair of boots out of your scaly ass."

Rarity blushed at the vile comment while Storm Cloud had to assure Fluttershy that the captain was only trying to intimidate Ajax.

"Excellent," the dragon replied, "I haven't had any good sport in ages. Your helm shall make for a lovely trophy. I have just the place for it in my hoard!"

With that, the beast unleashed a burst of flaming breath. Narrowly dodging the blast, Braveheart grasped the sun goddess' sword once more and took to the sky.

/-

Seeing the two engage one another in combat, Lightning went to draw his sword only to be reminded he had nothing but a a hunk of wood. He had hoped that the magic, cast in the unicorn's haste, was unstable and that the weapon would revert to its original form after an hour or so. But this was Twilight Sparkle's doing; it had her mark of perfection written all over it. Sighing, Lightning cursed under his breath. He had betrayed her trust twice at the edge of a sword. She would have been a fool to leave it in his care again. Once more she had left him completely powerless and, again, he could not blame her the slightest for it.

As he watched Braveheart fight, he felt compelled to join his captain against the amoral beast, weapon or no weapon. Even if he could only serve as a distraction...

Spreading his wings, he was ready to fly before feeling himself jerked backward.

"What the hay do you think you're doing?" Storm Cloud hissed, "The captain accepted a duel, that's a one on one game. Braveheat'd be pissed if you tried to mix yourself into it."

"Are you crazy?" Lightning replied, "Let's ignore the fact the beast is 100 meters tall and harbors some sort of insane grudge against us. The captain is still fighting a bloody dragon. [i]Alone[/i]. We have to help him somehow."

"And what do you suggest we do? Throw these sticks at the beast?" Storm Cloud retorted, causing Lightning to look away "That's what I thought. Don't worry about the captain, he's done this kind of job before."

"Yeah, once."

"Have faith, he's the best of the best."

"He's still only a pegasus."

"I hate to rush you all along," Rarity broke in, " But I'm going to anyway. If we want to be productive, we should best be on our way. Your captain has given us the opportunity, it'd be a shame to waste it."

"Normally Ah'd be with ya on that Rarity," Applejack joined, "But take a gander over yonder, Godzilla ain't lettin' us off that easy."

Applejack pointed ahead. With the light of her magic, Rarity could see just what Applejack was talking about. Broken branches and even some leveled trees had been left in the dragon's wake. What was even worse was the fact that Ajax had disturbed the surrounding snow, completely destroying Luna's trail.

"My, this is rather...unfortunate."

"That's puttin' it lightly, Rarity. Ah'd say we're a might screwed."

"Applejack!"

"Jus' bein' honest."

Turning to the two officers, Applejack spoke with her usual candor.

"As much as Ah'd love leadin' y'all through Everfree, Ah can't. You folk are trained fer the job, so how 'bout we sweat a little less 'bout your captain and a little more fer our own skins?"

Surveying the layout of the land as best he could, Lightning quickly had an answer.

"Very well Miss. Apple, I have a tentative plan."

Without looking back, he shouted.

"Private, front and center!"

Obeying the command, Blizzard Freeze quickly presented himself to his superiors and stood at attention.

"Yes sir?"

"You're from the EAF, correct?"

"Yes I am sir. I'm part of the Northern Legion, 2nd Battalion, Chickenhawk Company..."

"I got the picture. Have you served as a scout?"

"Yes, I mean, that's what my company does. Most of the officers are full fledged rangers."

"Good. Listen up and listen well. I need you to check the woods ahead for any trace you can find of Twilight or Princess Luna. Be quick, I'm giving you 10 minutes so flap those feathers! We'll wait for you back here."

"Yes sir."

After saluting his superior, Blizzard flew deeper into the forest.

"10 minutes!" Applejack interjected, "Why don't ya give him the whole darn day? We'd be better off spreadin' out lookin' ourselves 'stead of lookin' like a bunch of sittin' ducks!"

"Look, you asked for my leadership, you got it." Lightning snapped back, "I'm not going to let anypony, especially an Element, wander around Everfree alone. It's better to be a sitting duck than a plain dead duck, they used to say at the academy. If we stay put, we at least have the option of orderly retreating. If we run aimlessly into the forest searching for clues, that dragon will become the least of our worries."

Applejack didn't respond but nodded her head in solemn agreement. She had made the mistake of wandering on her own already. The lieutenant reminded her that it wasn't an experience she exactly wanted to repeat again.

However, Storm wasn't as agreeable.

"C'mon Lightning, you're going to play it safe again?" the officer said sternly, "I say we make a break for it, we don't need anymore bad accidents like the one in Ponyville."

The mentioning of her village caught Rarity's intrigue.

"Excuse me, but what do you mean by "bad accident"? Surely your captain didn't brutalize anypony in just the short time he's been back?"

Storm shot Rarity a dirty look.

"You can't pin this one on Braveheart, princess. We have a foal with a fishing pole cutie mark, blue, probably seven-or-so-years-old who's lying in the Ponyville morgue right now. You know why? Because a silver tongued 'Nightmare Moon' made a special appearance at your botique and whipped up a panic in town."

"Wha-, wha-are you saying that I'm to blame? That I did it? A-absurd, why...why...I never."

The blood drained from Rarity's face as she stuttered to give a response. Twilight had been right; she had carelessly played with the lives of others as if they had been faceless dolls at her disposal. But they weren't; they were her friends and neighbors with colorful, splendid lives of their own. This young colt, too, had been a pony she knew. Storm's description left no doubt in her mind.

His name had been Neap Tide, Spring Tide's pride and joy. Rarity had tailored him a dashing little suit for his eighth birthday party just a few months ago. Unlike many of the foals she did work for, Neap didn't squirm or complain while she fitted him,even when she pricked him with a needle. After the ordeal, he had asked Rarity in the most adorablely timid voice whether the ensemble she made for him would attract a certain filly. Being the romantic she was, Rarity told him that the suit didn't make a stallion. A true gentlecolt was marked by his chivalry and confidence. Any mare would fall in love with one who was restrained but passionate, noble but humble, serious but playful. Again, the foal asked her if the suit would help him out. She had simply laughed and sent him along his way with these departing words.

"_You'll learn someday."_

Rarity never imagined that she would be so wrong. Little Neap would never know love beyond that of an innocent crush. The beauty of true love, that mystery of mysteries born of passion and trial, was forever lost to him. The affairs of the heart are the most noble in life, to be without them is to never have never lived. And she, Rarity, had deprived young Neap Tide of ever discovering their joys and bitterness. Not only had she done that, but she had killed that new life love kindles between two ponies. Was there a filly out there in the world whose future prince she had murdered? Was the unfortunate girl doomed to be a shade shifting lifelessly from place to place like a whisp in the wind?

What sort of evil had she done? But what had been Rarity's alternative? What choice did she have?

Tragedy. She had abused the word in the past, throwing it around everytime she lost a button or used the wrong lace on a dress. To her, it had been the stuff of high literature. Sure she had studied all the classics, but she could only pity the ponies between the pages. How could she truly empathize with their plight? Never had she truly felt the pangs of tragedy's injustice nor the infantile helplessness it engendered.

Was this all the works of conspiring Fates as Fluttershy suggested?

No, no. That would be an insult to the memory of the young colt, but Rarity could find no answer. How could there be no answer? The absence of truth left her vacant and cold. Though only ten seconds or so had passed, she felt trapped in time, a prisoner of her sin.

Rarity's catatonic expression and lapse into silence wasn't lost to Storm either. The seargent could see the guilt in her eyes, but she didn't want to make much hay of it now. Not when there was an insane dragon flying just above their heads.

"No, I have no idea who orchestrated your little prison break." Storm replied, her words fast and heavy, snapping Rarity back to attention, "It could've been you, it could've been Princess Luna. I don't know, I don't care. You know why? Because we all share in his death, everyone of us playing this damned game of cat and mouse did him in somehow. Lightning, Twilight, me, you. Doesn't matter. So don't take it too hard and keep your head up. We're going to need you alert if we want to get out of this forest alive."

"Wh-Why, yes." Rarity said, still distant and somewhat frazzled, "Of course. Forgive me."

"Good girl, now let's round up and get ready."

Turning behind, Storm saw Fluttershy comforting a distraught Pinkie Pie. Obviously the dragon's cruelty had not meshed well with the Element of Laughter. More concerning than Pinkie's light sobs, however, was the absence of a certain pegasus.

"Where the hay is Rainbow Dash?!"

/

Breaking through the thick boughs of the forest, Braveheart and Ajax faced one another under the pitch-black sky.

No longer protected by the thick forest, both warriors felt the sting of the North Wind mercilessly penetrate them. A swirl of thick white snow hampered their vision and dulled their judgment. As both adjusted to the battlefield, they searched within themselves the strength to engage their foe. Though neither would ever admit it, they were both exhausted and beaten. Braveheart had flown from Canterlot in terrible conditions twice and had been defeated by both Luna and Applejack. Ajax, too, had battled the princess and sustained terrible blows, but a more pressing problem was the crippling frost surrounding him. Dragons of his breed tended to live in volcanoes. As such, the cold was perhaps the more challenging of his adversaries.

Nonetheless, driven by their conviction and pride, the two shook off their weariness and charged at the other. No more speeches were given. No battlecries were shouted. No grunts, screams, or growls could be heard over the wind's own terrifying roar.

At last the two collided. Ajax slashed at the captain only to be paid in kind with a swift stroke from Celestia's golden sword. The beast's hardened scales, however, repelled the blow and Ajax suffered little pain. Unaware of the minimal impact his attack had, Braveheart slashed at the dragon's leg as he passed him. Dodging a jet of flame as he prepared for another run, Braveheart was dismayed to see that Celestia's blade had done such little damage. The last dragon he fought at least bled when touched by the holy sword, but this one's hide seemed to be impervious save in one respect.

It could be pierced.

As he evaded the bursts of flame in the hopes of landing a blow, the captain's face was splashed with the melted precipitation. His sight blurred, he clumsily tried to stab at Ajax as the behemoth met him head on once more. Unfortunately, it is physically difficult for a pegasus to thrust a sword in mid-flight. Braveheart again missed his target, but, luckily for him, so did the dragon.

Like a joust, Braveheart and Ajax continued to exchange blows and retreat before returning back to the fray. Before they clashed, Ajax's flames would light up the night sky, making spectating possible.

Something that Rainbow Dash took full advantage of.

Bored and put off by the internal bickering between her friends and supposed guardians, she had decided to see first hoof if Braveheart could really live up to the legend. Although she had a general dislike for the captain based on the very little she knew of him, Rainbow had to admit that the guy was pretty, well, brave and stuff. Both of these qualities Rainbow held in high-esteem, so it wasn't too strange she'd be attracted to the battle. But there was something else too, something about Ajax.

As the pegasus watched Celestia's elite warriors exchange blows over and over in Her name, she became utterly fixiated. Suddenly, the pegasus became aware that she could see the fight more clearly and looked down to see the Element of Loyalty illuminating the night with a brilliant red light. Never had she seen it shine so intensely; it felt as though it had caught on fire. Like a bizzare, natural high, Rainbow felt a jolt of excitement and wonder pass through her. Soon she found herself in a trance-like state, unable to think of anything but the unfolding struggle before her.

This really was the stuff of legends and epics.

The battle continued fierce and heavy, with neither letting up the slightest. But as Braveheart botched yet another opportunity to stick the dragon, he began to reevaluate his strategy.

"I'll never get a good shot at that fuckin' chicken-iguana from the air," he thought, "let's see if I can't ground the bastard!"

With Celestia's sword firmly in grip, the captain charged again at the dragon. This time, however, he didn't go for the kill. Rather, he slipped behind Ajax and dragged the blade across one of the dragon's webbed wings, leaving a brutal, bloody rip. For the first time, the beast roared in abject pain. Before the angry dragon could recover, Braveheart pierced the other wing, leaving a nasty, gaping hole. Attempting a third and final run to level his opponent, Braveheart found himself in a terrible position. Seeing the pegasus left in the open, Ajax smacked the unlucky captain back with a single strike of his claw. The bold pegasus felt himself flying back, his black cloak in tatters and his armor ripped open as if it were no more than tin. Shell-shocked, Braveheart shook himself and accessed his condition. Seeing a little blood flow from his side, it was clear that Ajax had left his mark but it was far from lethal. More pressing was the sharp sting he felt in his chest, a good indication that he had broken some ribs.

Catching his breath through the pain, Braveheart could see that Ajax was now beating his wings harder and faster to keep airborne but losing altitude nonetheless, much to the captain's relief. Sighing, Braveheart knew what he had to do to win, but he would only have one chance to get it right.

Flying high into the stratosphere above, Braveheart looked below and could just make out Ajax's massive body trying madly to catch up with him but to little avail. With time and speed on his side, Braveheart paused and readied himself for the dangerous feat he was about to perform. Like all his predecessors before him, the captain muttered a brief prayer.

"Dearest Princess Celestia, let your justice fall on he who deserves it...be it my foe or myself."

After kissing it reverently, Braveheart took Celestia's sword by the hilt, hurled the blade toward the earth below and quickly gave chase to it. Straight and true the sword decended, its tip piercing and taming even the wild winds. As Braveheart approached the magic blade, a vortex of flame grew from around the sword and wrapped itself around the captain. Feeling the flame graze him, Braveheart's feathers caught fire as he plummeted to meet Ajax for one last time. Though resistant as any other pegasus, the burning pain was still intense.

In the skys below, Rainbow Dash looked on in awe as she saw the pillar of fire descend from the heavens. It wasn't its speed that stuck her. No, in relation to the Sonic Rainboom, it was ominously slow. Rather, it was its terrifying beauty and majesty that kept the pegasus in place. Even the wind and the snow ceased to blow as if in silent admiration and respect for the divine spectacle.

"Kid, what the-"

Rainbow turned around to see Storm Cloud burst forth from the umbrage of Everfree. At first she looked surprised to see the fire in the sky, but a sly grin soon replaced any sign of it. Joining Rainbow Dash at her side, the officer spoke with happy words as if all her worries had vanished in an instant.

"You know a thing or two about tricks, dontcha Dash?"

"Sure." she replied, her attention still fixed on the battle, "I'd say it's straight outta Spitfire's playbook, but I got a feelin' this is way more than a trick."

"Haha, right you are, but trick or not, you're in for a treat here. Few ponies ever get to see the Empyrean Judgement on full display!"

The two watched on as the drafon reacted to the challenge.

"This fight is done." Storm Cloud confidently beamed as she saw Ajax trying to stay airborne, "Just look at him flail; the captain did a better job than I thought."

But Storm misread Ajax completely. The arrogant dragon was not attempting to flee from her captain, he was trying to meet him once more. Being born of fire, the spectacular spiral did little to frighten or intimidate the crimson dragon. Furthermore, he doubted the little bastard could actually pull off the Empyrean Judgement without succumbing to its power. More than anything, Ajax wanted to snatch the sword from the sky and let the wind scatter what was left of the blasphemous heathen to the four corners of the earth. If by some stroke of luck the Empyrean's fire did not kill Braveheart, then the dragon's would.

Ajax mustered his waning strength and charged as best he could at the on-coming column of flame. Reaching forth as if ready to catch the sword, the haughy beast presented his enemy with an excellent opening. With terrifying impact, the two clashed in a golden explosion of light and fire as Braveheart drove the red-hot blade into the beast's thick scales. This time Ajax did not roar, he shrieked as he felt the captain repeatedly drive the steel into the wound. Unable to overcome the incredible force of the Empyrean Judgment, Ajax tumbled from the sky while Braveheart continued to cling to the beast's chest, wedging the blade deeper and deeper into his flesh in a desperate attempt to find the dragon's elusive heart. After crashing through the thick umbrage of Everfree, Ajax's body broke the ground beneath him. The energy released from the impact felt like an earthquake, making it instantly known to Applejack and company.

–/

"...what in tarnation?" Applejack sputtered as she tried to keep her balance. As the vibrations ceased, an eiree calm prevaded across the forest

"...is it...over?" Fluttershy weakly asked the lieutenant.

"...I wouldn't count on it." Lightning responded after thinking for a moment, "If Braveheart's done the deed, he'll come back to us...hey, wait, it's now safe!"

Ignoring Lightning Strike completely, Pinkie Pie ran off in the direction of the crash.

"Damn it!" he cursed, "Get back here!"

"Yer wastin' yer breath, tonto." Applejack said, starting after her friend, "She's one too short of common sense sometimes, so I gotta pick up the slack for her. C'mon now, are you guardin' us or not?"

Lightning, looked at Rarity and Fluttershy. The two friends nodded at one another in mutual understanding and followed Applejack and Pinkie Pie. The impotent lieutenant angrily sighed and joined them.

/

Braveheart opened his eyes and found himself laying in the snow just a couple meters away from Ajax. He had only been out of it for maybe a half-a-minute or so, but his head still felt fuzzy and numb. His senses were in tatters as he rose to his hooves, and looked at the massive, yet motionless body before him. Finding Celestia's sword resting by the head of the dragon, Braveheart stumbled over to retreive it. Grabbing the hilt, the captain felt as though something was watching him. Turning around quickly, he saw that his foe's eyes were closed. Seeing little life present, Braveheart sighed and clutched his side. The bleeding had stopped, but the aching pain in his chest made it difficult for him to breathe. Normally he would gloat over the remains of his defeated enemy, but this blasted dragon would never get the standard fare. No, all Braveheart could do was spit at the ground in contempt and even this cost him some blood. Before the captain could turn around, he felt the earth twitch slightly under him.

"...Shit."

Now sooner did his curse leave his mouth did Ajax's black eye open. With an intense hatred it burned as it focused on Braveheart. Quickly, the dragon balled his claws, signaling to Braveheart that the fight had been far from won. Indeed, the dragon rose from the snow with such vigor and strength that it would seem that the Empyrean Judgement had enfused his spirit with a new, terrible power. Watching the dragon roar in triumph, Braveheart stood his ground while trying to gather his wits.

"Impressive, few have stood against me for so long." Ajax shouted, "But few have been so foolish as to try to turn the fires of the Empyrean against me. You have only freed me from winter's frozen shackles and assured your doom!"

"If you're so sure of yourself," answered Braveheart, "shut the fuck up and finish me!"

For all his newfound energy, Ajax felt himself hindered by tremendous pain in his chest. Looking at his wound, he found that Braveheart had wrought more damage than he had thought. The crimson color of his scales deceptively hid the flowing blood that now covered his torso.

"What's the hold-up you cocky son of an iguana?" Braveheart shouted, trying to shield his own injury from the dragon, "Did a wussy little moon-lovin' turncoat pegasus runt give you a boo-boo? Buck the fuck up and fight!"

Tired of the crude captain's insults, Ajax released a breath of flame. Narrowly dodging the fire, Braveheart his behind a tree with the hope that the darkness of night would keep him hidden.

"Coward!" Ajax roared, "You dare call me a weakling and flee? I will find you if I have to uproot every tree in this entire forest!"

Keeping his promise, Ajax ripped entire trees from the earth and cast them effortlessly aside. Breathing heavily, Braveheart knew he had to wait for an opening if he was to survive. Seeing that the Ajax's arrogance was his greatest weakness, all Braveheart had to do was wait for the dragon to leave himself exposed. Aware from his own history of service, Braveheart knew that the longer a mission went uncompleted, the more likely emotions and personal flaws would flare up. If he could keep his head straight and the dragon pissed long enough, he might just be able snatch victory back from Ajax's black jaws.

As he planned and waited while shifting from tree to tree as needed to avoid the Ajax's fury, Braveheart was disturbed by how it seemed like he was fighting against something more than just the dragon, but the extremes the beast embodied.

Cold reason masking heated passion, unspeakable cruelty born from undying loyalty and love.

In that moment, as pain and fear gripped him, Braveheart realized that Applejack had been right.

The captain felt like he was fighting himself.

In a moment of luck, Ajax turned his destructive attention in the wrong direction, giving Braveheart some more room to calculate his next move. Before he could do so, however, he heard the leaves around him crack and shutter as if the wind had picked up again. Assuming a fighting stance, he was relieved to hear the voice behind the brush.

"Sir," Storm Cloud called, her voice subdued as she emerged from the thicket, "Are you all right?"

Braveheart didn't answer but gave his officer an ugly look that made it quite clear that he could have a dozen arrows sticking out of him and it still wouldn't be the time to ask him that question.

"What's goin' on?" asked Rainbow Dash as she joined the other two. Her element, though still shining brightly, was now contained behind Zecora's wool coat so as not to betray their whereabouts to Ajax. "Whoa, looks like you could use an extra pair of wings there, huh?"

Braveheart glared at Rainbow and motioned to Storm to keep the rather loud pegasus quiet. Rainbow didn't need to be told; she got the picture. She couldn't help but feel ticked off a bit by being ignored like this, but then again, what did she know about battle? She had always been able to subdue her foes with tactful skill, but kill them? That was way beyond Rainbow and, honestly, she never, ever wanted to cross that threshold. Though a little ashamed, Rainbow was okay with letting the captain do the dirty work. He was, after all, already guilty of brutality and murder. What was one more knotch on his belt to him?

"_Geez, am I a coward or a mare?"_ she thought, _"What difference does it make if Braveheart is the one who kills the dragon? Everypony knew that it was the only thing he could do. Aren't I just as guilty for wanting him to win? Celestia, this whole deal is messed up! _"

Meanwhile, not too far from the trio of pegasi, Pinkie Pie ran as fast as she could through the forest, a look of worry written plainly across her face. She sensed something she had only felt rarely, a slight stinging sensation in the back of her neck that signified that something really, really bad was about to happen someone. To Pinkie it didn't matter if it was either Ajax or Braveheart, she just knew she had to try and stop it from happening.

Hearing the dragon rampage ahead, Pinkie was just about ready to grab Ajax's attention when she found herself being pulled back by an unhappy Lightning Strike.

"Ligh—mmmm! Mmmm!"

"Quiet." Lightning whispered, covering her mouth. "You had your shot with him. We're going back, the scout is probably wondering where the hay we are. Now I'm going to let go now, 'kay? Don't talk. Promise?"

"Mmmm!" Pinkie said, shaking her head in the negative, but pointing repeatedly in the direction of the clearing ahead.

A bit puzzled as to what she was trying to show, Lightning let go of Pinkie and flew closer to see what the matter was. Watching Ajax level the forest just opposite of his position, Lightning found himself joined by the other Elements.

"Well, this ain't lookin' none to good," Applejack said grimly, "Where's Braveheart? Can't he fight without his crossbow? A real stallion that one is..."

Before Applejack could finish that thought, Pinkie pushed her out of the path of a tree Ajax had carelessly chucked in their direction.

"Thanks there, Pinkie." Applejack said, "Ain't nothin' more dangerous than fallin' timber..."

As her friends checked on Applejack to see if she was okay, Fluttershy continued to watch the dragon. Her eyes being more keen than her friends, she could see the faint shimmer of blood dripping from the ancient warrior's chest. The sight struck her as somewhat worrying. Like any other pony, Fluttershy didn't know too much about dragon physiology but she did know that when a lizard's scales were ruptured it often enough spelled death. As she watched the dragon exert itself more and more, the blood began to flow that much quicker. A part of her wished she could reach out to the dragon, but the other firmly resisted the thought. Dragons were dragons, their nature was uncompromising, ungrateful, and selfish. Besides the whole fear of being gobbled up, it was for these reasons Fluttershy did not care much for the species.

As Fluttershy watched Ajax butcher the forest with his claws, she thought it strange that the dragon did not just burn everything in his way. Was it possible that this mad dragon still had a little self-restraint left in him?

Suddenly the dragon stopped, replacing the sound of cracking limbs and broken branches with a tense silence. Moving a bit to get a better angle, Fluttershy could just make out the outline of a young pegasus shivering in fear at the feet of the titanic beast.

"Oh no, oh dear!" Fluttershy squeeked, "The captain's scout!"

Yes, in an unfortunate combination of bad luck and inexpirience, Blizzard Freeze found himself faced with a dragon more daunting than any of the far-fetched soldier's tales he had heard back at the barracks. The young recruit wanted to run, but his fear held him in place. They had never trained him to fight a monster! He was just a lowly scout, and not even the best one in the pack. Yet here he was, smack dab in a game of goddesses, elements, elites, and beasts. Unarmed and unfit before the slayer of a thousand souls, Blizzard wish he had never taken the captain's offer. What had he beenthinking? A shot at national glory, an assured spot at the table of Equestria's finest? Maybe he should have listened to his marefriend, Ruby Blaze. She had told him that the army was filled with empty promises and dangerous duties. Oh, how she had pressed him to leave it behind! But the army was the only thing the lad knew, the only institution that meant anything to him. Even now, standing before death, Blizzard doubted if he could abandon the only life he knew. What was for certain, however, was that he 'd give anything to see Ruby one more time.

Seeing his newfound prey quake at the mere sight of him, Ajax smiled and lowered his head to meet the sad little creature. Taunting the poor soldier, Ajax blew a cloud of black smoke in the private's face, completely choking him. The dragon chuckled and grabbed the pegasus with his large claws. Rising to his full height, the dragon's voice boomed so that the entire forest could hear his words, but they were intended only for one pegasus.

"Listen well you traitorous worm!" he yelled, "If you elect not to finish this duel, than your underling here shall take your place!"

After throwing Blizzard to the ground and trapping the pegasus beneath his foot, Ajax looked around to see any sign of Braveheart. To his dissapointment, the dragon's adversary did not show himself. Turning his attention back to the private, Ajax roared, his fierce tone revealing his waning temper.

"How repulsive! Even for a slave you are a sniveling disgrace!" Ajax shouted at Blizzard as the pegasus grunted while struggling in vain underneath the giant.

"Do you hear his pathetic bleeting, captain!?" the dragon questioned his hidden audience, "If I cannot honor Celestia with the head of a traitor, then I shall spill this lamb's blood upon Her altar instead!"

Removing his foot from the pegasus, the dragon kicked Blizzard away from him, breaking the young pegasus' wing and knocking him unconscious. Preparing to immolate the helpless soldier, Ajax heard the clatter of armor and knew that his trap had worked. From out of the forest, a weak Braveheart flew as fast as his injury would allow him. Smirking the dragon waited before releasing a torrent of fire in Blizzard's direction. Before it could touch him, the Captain of the Guard pushed his soldier out of harm's way and braced himself for the oncoming assault. Left exposed to the full force of Ajax's destructive flame, Braveheart buckled under the intense pain and collapsed. As the fire subsided, Ajax wasted no time in grabbing the captain violently and slamming him into a nearby tree. Lowering his head to Braveheart's level, Ajax's eyes gleamed with a wicked light. Shaking the badly injured captain, Ajax roared.

"Look me in the eyes, worm!"

Braveheart opened his eyes, but they swirled around, unable to focus.

Laughing at his foe's pathetic state, Ajax carefully removed the captain's helm and admired it like a foal ogoling a new toy.

"Beautiful." he said, "Be honored, your legacy will live on forever in the darkness of my den!"

"F-fuck y-..." the captain sputtered.

Ajax slammed Braveheart into the tree again.

"Fitting last words for a sinner! Now, give me my sword and I shall fufill my promise to you."

Braveheart said nothing but spat in the dragon's eye.

"So be it!" Ajax cried, his dementia clear upon his tongue, "I will _break you_!"

Slowly, the dragon crushed Braveheart's body between his mighty claws. The pain ripping through the captain was excruciating as he felt bone after bone shatter. It was only out of pure stubborness that prevented shock from hold taking him.

"Haha! I concede that you are a skilled soldier, but you are also a blundering fool of a captain!" the dragon taunted as he squeezed, "A bleeding heart has no place in war! A peon dies, another takes his place! But who will replace you, heathen? That thing?"

Ajax pointed to Blizzard. Braveheart tried to respond but only succeeded in eliciting a sick gurgling sound.

Oblivious to his surroundings as he tortured the captain, Ajax was unaware of the familiar sound of rattling steel upon the wind's breath. Diving from above, Storm took full advantage of the opening given to her. Giving a loud cry, the officer drove Celestia's sword deep into one of the cruel dragon's eyes. Twisting the blade like a wasp withdrawing its stinger, Storm mutilated her foe, rendering his sight useless. Filled with a pain of which likes he had never known, Ajax screeched as he thrashed about, dropping the captain in the process. No longer able to hold on, the grey pegasus removed the sword and retreated back to prepare herself for a final go.

Ajax, however, did not take the bait. As he flailed aimlessly in agony, the prospect of death loomed over the once invincible war hero. He could not be defeated, not by a couple of ponies. Not while Nightmare Moon still roamed free. The dedicated dragon refused to die with his task left unfulfilled. The burning strength of the Empyrean's fire was the only energy he had left to spare, and he wasn't going to waste it on Storm. Taking to the air, the wounded dragon clumsily flew away, unwilling once again to face and accept his defeat.

Sighing in relief, Storm Cloud removed her helm and dropped the incredibly heavy sword. She did not want to be disrespectful, but wielding the magical blade was exhausting. Rushing to her captain's side, Storm did her best to gently prop up Braveheart against the battered tree. Quickly, Storm nabbed a flask from her side and pressed it against the captain's lips. Accepting the water, Braveheart gurgled loudly as he slurped up Storm's offering. Choking on his own eagerness, Braveheart drooled a mixture of blood and water from the side of his mouth. Seeing this, Storm took her black cloak and carefully wiped it off.

"Good...good job, Storm." the captain said, his breath ragged and labored, "I love it when a plan comes together...how's the kid?"

"Don't worry about him, just hang tight and keep talking." the officer responded, her voice thick with concern, "Support should be coming. Fluttershy is..."

Braveheart's chuckled at his officer's words.

"Cut that bullshit," Braveheart said, looking past her shoulder, "I'm as good as dead, ain't that right sweetheart?"

Storm peered to her right to find Fluttershy standing next to her. The quiet pegasus had sprinted from her hiding place to see if she could help, but the grim sight of the captain filled her with dread. The maimed pegasus' flesh was horrendously charred while his mangled bones were twisted beyond repair, some even jutting out from his body. Unlike her friends, Fluttershy was no stranger to death; as a care-giver she had seen it many times before. She had waged many vain attempts against it in the hopes of giving her little animal friends another chance, but her desperation was often shown to be of little use. Over the years and especially after Philomena, the Fluttershy had learned that sometimes the greatest kindness was to let go and let her patient die with dignity. She constantly reminded herself that death was not evil, that it was all part of what made life meaningful, but it never eased the pain of their passing or her failure. How could it when so much death seemed so unnatural? Fluttershy wanted so badly to save every life she could; to see it wasted here so senselessly filled her with a heartbreaking sadness.

"What are you waiting for? Do you need something, some special herbs or magical leaves, or anything?" Storm asked, surprising the distraught pegasus a bit. Did this officer really expect her to perform some sort of miracle?

"I-I" Fluttershy stuttered, trying her best to not cry "I can't. I just can't. I'm so, so sorry..."

Unable to bear the grim scene anymore, the yellow pegasus bowed her head in shame and ran away from the officer, taking with her the little hope Storm still had.

"Told ya there, Storm." Braveheart managed to say, his sentences punctuated by deep breaths, "I'm a goner. Now lead them on and pr-protect the princess, that...that's an order."

"No, I won't do that sir." she replied shaking her head. Unsurprised but ittiated by Storm's insubordination, Braveheart tried to straighten-up in a useless attempt to look commanding. Opening his mouth, he was immediately interrupted.

"Don't you waste your breath on it!" the silver-maned pegasus continued, "You might not pull through this Braveheart, but I'll be damned if I leave you out to die alone in this godless forest! My minds made up and I'm not changing it. Not for your stupid orders, not for Princess Celestia, not for anypony! And if you give me anymore guff about it, I swear on Celestia's crown I'll smack all the backtalk out of you!"

"Yeah?" Braveheart smiled weakly, "Good luck with that."

Braveheart didn't want Storm to waste her attention on him while Lightning was left to defend six ponies on his own, but the captain didn't have the strength to back up his directive. At the same time he understood Storm's devotion; he was infamous himself for risking missions to retrieve his fallen soldiers. As such, he'd be a hypocrite to challenge the independent officer.

Approaching the two soldiers, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, and Applejack watched as the dying captain tried to babble some more commands. The silence between the friends was soon broken by the sniffling of Pinkie's light sobs. Falling to her knees, the pink pony openly wept. It wasn't supposed to end like this, everypony was supposed to come together and work towards finding Princess Celestia. Nopony would get hurt. That was how she had planned it from the moment she saw Braveheart ready to strike a pony. It had worked so perfectly just hours before, but it was not enough to sway the impossibly conceited dragon. She had been so close to realizing the ideal where everypony was happy and safe...where everypony won.

"Pinkamena..." the captain said as sternly as ever, "Stop that bawling already and give me a little peace!"

"O-okay. If it'll make you feel better..."

Pinkie sniffled and complied with the captain's wish, much to Braveheart's relief. He didn't want Pinkie to waste her tears on him, a sinful pegasus undeserving of her sympathy. He also didn't like watching the Element of Laughter crying over what Ajax had done to him. There was nothing more wicked that fucking dragon could do to him than to pervert the purity of this incredible pony.

Taking Braveheart by surprise, Pinkie Pie hugged the guard gently and gave him a peck on the cheek.

"Thank you...Pinkamena." he struggled to say, "Don't lose hope, keep the faith. You'll change this bloody, swirling hunk of rock someday."

Pausing, Braveheart turned from Pinkie to Applejack.

"Apple."

Lost in thought, Applejack didn't hear the captain at first. She only stood silently, her face grave and pale as she observed the captain's horrendous condition. He was burned, beaten, bleeding, and broken. The old sayings went, "an eye for an eye" and "he who lives by the sword, dies by the sword". According to those ancient wisdoms, Braveheart had deserved everything he got. But as she looked at the pathetic pegasus, she felt pity stir her. How could this gross mutilation serve as the face of justice? In the darkest corners of her heart she had wanted to see him suffer for his crimes, especially for what he did to Big Mac. Retribution, be it by her or the universe's doing, was supposed to relieve the feelings of injustice she felt. Instead, it left her feeling empty...just as the captain had told her it would. Seeing Braveheart suffer on a level on par with her brother did nothing but fill her with guilt and shame. Justice was more than simply getting even; it was to right wrongs in order to stop the cycle of vengeance and injury. In her anger and hate, that important distinction between justice and revenge had all but vanished, leaving her vulnerable to the same evil that had ensnared Braveheart, Ajax and Luna.

"Apple." Braveheart weakily repeated.

Nudged on by Pinkie, Applejack snapped out of her daze and approached the captain. Before he could say anything, Braveheart hacked a little blood and breathed in deeply a couple of times. Applejack could see in his black eyes a stormy struggle, but when he turned to face her it dissipated. All that was reflected in the pools of his eyes now was agony.

"You were right Apple, about me and the dragon." Braveheart said sincerely, taking in another sharp breath, "I tried to win, to conquer my demons on the battlefield, but they destroyed me. I know that this means shit coming from a deadpony...but...I'm sorry. Sorry for what I did to your brother. To you. Do what you want with it, but it's all...all I bloody got to give."

"Ah'll keep it in mind, captain." Applejack said with a simple nod and tip of her hat. She wasn't entirely moved by the captain's last hour apology; but neither was she going to outright accept or reject it. Instead she would tuck it between the folds of her heart and leave it there until true forgiveness could blossom someday. Nonetheless, Applejack was grateful to hear the captain's words. Empty or not, they could at least help the farmer begin to heal her troubled mind by ridding her of an inpony enemy. Before he died, she too wanted to show some civility too.

"Ah wasn't completely right 'bout you captain, you ain't the same as Ajax." Applejack continued, "Ah said you cared only 'bout yerself, Celestia and nopony else. That ain't true at all. You risked your neck for all of us, especially that young pegasus. An' by what I gathered from yer soldiers, you really love an' care for 'em. So Ah guess, Ah guess Ah can say this fer mah brother, 'cause Ah think he feels this way too. Ah'm sorry that Big Mac beat yer soldiers to a pulp, Ah wish things didn't end up the way they did...but you know why he did it right?"

"Heh, yeah. Then you know why I did what I did."

"Yep. Don't make it any more right. But still, Ah'm sorry."

"Ha, you're made of tough stuff." Braveheart said, "Not even your demons can tie you down."

"Ah'm only as strong as mah friends are." Applejack replied, "Ah could never have done it alone."

"Friends..."

The dying captain shifted his watery gaze from Applejack to Rarity and then to Storm Cloud but said nothing.

Though repulsed by the sight of Braveheart, a morbid curiosity kept Rarity from shying away. In the romances and ballads she fancied there were many tales about shining knights slaying beastly dragons for the heart of some fair princess. In an inspiring spectacle of triumph and glory, the knight would valiently battle his foe until the wicked monster was cast down. In the rare instance he was killed, it was usually in an act of valorous sacrifice or redemption. In those stories, battle had been the greatest expression of love, honor, and dignity. Death, too, was noble, beautiful, and admirable. How foolish and twisted those poets were! Who were they to stroke their lyres and sing of horrors as if they were joys, of brutes as if they were knights? If they were to see Braveheart's duel with Ajax, they would be shamed for their lies. The captain, guilty of savaging her village and friends, was no heroic savior, his sacrifice being not so much noble as it was expected. And even then, it accomplished little for him. Blizzard was injured badly, the dragon remained on the loose and the party remained lost in Everfree without his leadership.

Inadvertantly Rarity chanced to glance into the captain's eyes. Just looking at Braveheart's grotesque injuries had been terrible, but to see herself reflected in the dark pools of the soldier's eyes was unbearable. Immediately she looked away, but not out of any particular love for the captain. Rather, it was because she could now see, mirrored in Braveheart's placcid stare, exactly the kind of tortouous pain and misery she inflicted on little Neap.

As she felt her guilt return, Rarity's mind turned back to those older bards, Hayschylus and Sophoofcles, and their works of tragedy and despair. Therein lay the only semblence of the truth of war and violence, of power and loss. To save the world and herself, she had sacrificed an innocent foal. What made her so different from the captain? He too had trampled on the weak in order to pursue the same goal. If anything, he had least used his power to keep order while she had used hers to spread panic. This sobering thought knocked Rarity from her pedastel and made her empathize a little with the captain. He may not be a hero, but he was not a monster either. He was a pegasus nearing his death; he should at least be treated with a sense of dignity. Everypony deserves at least that much.

Noticing that Braveheart was only covered by his crumpled and torn breastplate, Rarity used her magic to remove her warm wool coat and draped it over the captain. Braveheart did not respond, but there was a brief gleam in his eye that showed he was grateful.

"Thanks Miss. Rarity, but you shouldn't leave yourself exposed." Lightning said from behind her, "Would you like my cloak?"

"No lieutenant, I'll be quite fine. I-I don't mind much for Zecora's sense of fashion anyway."

"I insist. Consider it an order if you must."

After removing the black cloak and giving it to Rarity, Lightning turned to look at his captain. Swallowing his grief, Lightning was pained to see his friend die so slowly. A part of him wanted to put the captain out of his misery, but he didn't have the guts of actually carrying it out. Shaking his head, the lieutenant always knew that Braveheart would never retire from the service. Only death could seperate him from Celestia, and only a giant dragon would be able give it to him.

Marching through the snow to where Fluttershy and Rainbow were tending to Blizzard, the yellow pegasus had the two mares lift the dazed recruit on to his back. Despite the additional armor, Blizzard was not too heavy. Lightning than turned his efforts to finding Celestia's sword, which proved to be a much simpler task than he thought. The golden blade, still warm with magic, had melted the snow around it, making it hard to miss. Grabbing the hilt in his mouth, Lightning found the sword to be impossibly heavy. Dragging it through the snow, he wondered how Storm Cloud had managed to fly with this thing, let alone use it. Braveheart was a fairly large pegasus; Storm was only about two-thirds his size. She did have a good wing-span, but that alone couldn't have done it...

What ever it was, Lightning didn't have it. He was embarrased by his inability to raise the sword and the disrespect he was showing it. How was he expected to command in Celestia's name if he couldn't even hold her sword?

Approaching Storm Cloud, the lieutenant placed the blade against the tree and spoke to his officer.

"Storm, we're moving out now. Blizzard is a bit out of it, but Miss. Fluttershy heard him say the tracks lead to Everfree Castle. Do you have the map?"

"Yeah, of course." the seargent said, pulling the map from her breastplate and giving it to her new commander.

Lightning whistled for everypony to fall-in behind him. As the lieutenant began marching on, Storm called back to him.

"Wait, Lightning! I can't let you lead the Elements unarmed! You should take Celestia's sword with you."

"I can't..." he grumbled.

"What?"

Sighing, Lightning marched back to Storm. Trying to keep his cool, the lieutenant calmly replied.

"Look. Remember when the dragon said ' He who reigns victorius in battle shall alone hold Her sword aloft'? Well, that's you. For all I care, that just means I'm not worthy. Sorry."

Without another word, Lightning signaled to the company to depart. Slowly trudging onward through the snow, nopony had the heart to look back save Rainbow Dash. Seeing Storm return to the captain's side and folding her wings around him, Rainbow felt a slight urge to stay too, if only to be there for the officer when the inevitable moment came. But she had an adventure to finish; hopefully it could still have a happy ending.

Storm felt the frigid winds pick up as they grazed her face and feathers. Looking down at her captain, she was glad to find that he looked a little less lucid. Braveheart glanced up at her and gave a faint smile.

"Celestia?"

As he looked at her a bit more, it vanished.

"Sorry captain," Storm replied, a few warm tears running down her cheek, "It's just me, Storm Cloud."

"Oh yeah." he said, struggling to suck in some air, "I'm glad, glad you're with me, Storm."

As the captain tried to straighten himself up again, Storm pealed back her grey feathers and simply stood at attention and saluted. Nodding to Storm to be at ease, Braveheart then fixed his stern gaze eastwards, the desolate clearing permiting him an excellent view of the horizon. More than life itself he wanted to see the sun rise one last time. His troubled soul was plauged with fear and uncertainty, not for the next world, but for his country and princess. He had been ready to die earlier that day, but only because he was blinded by his own self-rightouesness. Now, disillusioned with his pretentions, he was painfully aware that he knew and understood nothing. All it would take was a faint shimmer, a brief ray of sunlight and his doubt would be expelled. He'd know that he was right in trusting Luna, damned for his brutality and that harmony would be restored. There was no chance for him in redemption; it was too late. All he wanted was that little bit of solace and he could die in peace.

As he stared at the unchanging nightsky for fifteen minutes, he realized it would not come to pass. It was a cruel but fitting penance for his sins.

Braveheart could feel Death's icy, creeping carress on the wind's breath as it filled his lungs for the last time. As the thin veil of death's shadow began to cloud his eyes, the captain shed a single tear as his greatest fear came true.

He would leave this world in darkness.

–

"Princess Luna, wait!"

Crossing the bridge of Everfree, Luna turned around to find Twilight Sparkle rushing towards her.

"I thought I lost you in the forest." Twilight gasped, catching her breath, "I'm just glad it snowed or else I'd never find you!"

"But does that mean..." Luna started before Twilight interrupted.

"Yeah...the guard is probably on our tail by now."

"Well then, posthaste! Into the castle!" Luna said, dashing off in its direction.

"Princess, wait!"

Seeing the two companions near the ruined fortress, Philomena descended from the battlements and entered the castle to lead them on. Bursting through the gate, they eagerly followed the pheonix through the foyer, up the stairs, and into the throne room. Entering the hollow chamber, Luna stopped to see Philomena fly across the length of the hall and perch atop her old throne. With a happy screech, the bird flared her wings, lighting up the room and revealing the shadowy outline of a pony staring out the window. Luna stared in disbelief as she approached the throne.

"Celly?"

Responding, the figure entered the light, revealing her disheveled pink mane, ruffled feathers, tear-stained cheeks and bloodshot purple eyes. Luna could not believe it, but it was unmistakeable.

Her sister, Princess Celestia, goddess of the sun and sovereign of Equestria, stood before Luna entirely divested of her divine power.


	14. Chapter 14Final

Frigid Winds and Burning Hearts

Part 14*

Galloping up the winding stairways of Everfree Castle, Twilight Sparkle once more found herself struggling to keep up pace with the nimble moon goddess. Maneuvering between the brief spots of moonlight to the utter darkness of Everfree, Luna seemed to flicker like a fleeting shadow on the walls of her domain; elusive, deceptive, and silent. Twilight, stopping and gasping for air herself, heard not even the slightest breath escape Luna as the goddess continued to press further into the castle's interior.

"Luna!" the young unicorn panted, "Hold up, I-."

Seeing Luna make a turn at the end of the corridor, Twilight sighed and flatly finished her sentence.

"-don't know where we're going."

Growling, Twilight lit up the hallway with a spark of magic. Alone and without a clear sense of direction, the observant unicorn intently took note of her surroundings as she trotted down the hall. Although nagged by her neurotic sense of urgency, Twilight's could not contain all of her curiosity. Always the student, she had waited for a chance to return to Everfree to study its secrets, but it was a rarity to find a pony willing to traverse the deadly forest to a castle which, according to myth, was cursed and haunted. Even hardened academics were unwilling to risk tooth and limb for what many still considered to be a "lost" or, worse yet, "legendary" ruin.

The lazy eggheads. Would anypony in Canterlot ever take her seriously?

Twilight usually didn't like to resort to Rainbow Dash's choice in words, but in this case she had to agree that they were fitting. Canterlot's universities desperately needed more Daring Dos, and Twilight Sparkle saw it her mission to remedy the deficit. Unlike the fictional heroine, however, Twilight's search would not lead her to gems or relics. No, she would find something of a far greater worth; a forgotten story, one that had been etched deeply into the weathered grey rock of Everfree. Though the ages had treated the castle poorly, its stonework was not merely marred by the withering winds of time. Bearing the tell-tale signs of fire, it was clear that Everfree had been scorched and left to burn like so many other painful chapters of Equestria's history. But, like the walls of Canterlot, it survived as a clean record that spoke volumes more than any confession made by Luna...or Celestia for that matter. But there was something more about the aged structure that intrigued Twilight.

"Amazing..." Twilight thought, "time has eaten away at Everfree for centuries but...but it seems to be trapped in the past. This fire has left its mark on the castle. It's kinda like...like a faint reminder of forgotten things left unresolved."

Coming to the end of the hallway, the recovering unicorn was met with a dead end—well, so it seemed. There was a small passage (for servants, Twilight guessed) leading outside to the snow-covered courtyard. From there it was only a brief trot to reach the crumbling citadel.

"Really Philomena, the citadel?" Twilight huffed as she took her only option, "There was a perfectly fine path leading from the foyer! But no, leave it to that bird to drag me around an entire castle first..."

Luckily for Twilight, Luna's hoof prints remained visible in the fresh snow despite the fierce gusts blowing across the landscape. Her uncertainty removed, Twilight rushed across the courtyard to reach the stairs leading to the citadel. Once inside, Twilight recognized the grand staircase from the last time she wandered these ruins.

At that moment, Twilight heard an astonished cry come from one of the larger hallways.

"Celly?"

What sounded initially to Twilight like a question resounded in the darkness ahead with undeniable certainty by the castle's cold mimicry.

"Celly."

It was unmistakeably Luna, but Twilight was more excited to hear the name of her teacher than Luna's voice. The unicorn had heard the moon goddess' side of history all day, and though it was plausible, it was far from complete. Had Luna been honest? Yes, probably. But truthful? How could she claim to know Celestia's ambitions or capabilities when she was not even present? Her taste for the dramatic and her somewhat confused ramblings of Equestrian politics leading up to the war also made her only slightly more reliable than Ajax.

No, only with Celestia's account could Twilight finally piece together the puzzle she had for a year dedicated so much of her time towards. Her research may have been flawed, but she had enough evidence to force the truth out of the sun goddess and try to put the past to rest...that is if Luna didn't beat her to it first. She only needed to climb the winding steps before her and everything would be okay; Princess Celestia would fix everything.

Excited to at last end her terrible journey, Twilight rushed up the stairs to the throne room Her eyes closed in intense concentration as she mustered the last of her strength, Twilight blindly, but quickly, rushed down the length of the grand hallway. Cracking her eyes open a bit, Twilight was disoriented by the sudden flood of light. As her vision adjusted, the eager unicorn could make out two shapes, one dark blue, the other snow white.

"Princess Celestia!" Twilight cried out, shedding a few tears of joy. Throwing herself at her teacher's hooves, the student nuzzled lovingly against Celestia's legs. But upon embrace, Twilight stopped and stood in shock. Celestia, goddess of the sun and giver of light, was freezing to the touch. Peering at the floor below her, the unicorn saw dozens of molted feathers scattered about the throne. Lying among them was Celestia's golden crown, dented and scratched. Slowly looking up at the princess, Twilight spoke with a worried voice.

"...Princess Celestia?"

"Twilight Sparkle, my most faithful student." Celestia replied, nuzzling Twilight gently on the face, "I-I cannot express how happy I am to see that you two are here, safe and sound."

Though a brief look of relief passed over Celestia's features, the princess' words were distant and dreary as if only a slight burden, one among millions, had been lifted from her mind. The princess' eyes, always a magnificent violet, were dull, puffy and unfocused as they looked past the physical world and into the abyss of infinite thought.

Twilight could not believe what was clearly before her; she had never seen her teacher look so frail, so distressed...so...so [i]common[/i]. Her mane, once a flowing panorama of majestic hues, was a plain pink that differed little in the color or style of those typical to many of her subjects. The goddess' towering and imposing figure, too, was gone. Indeed, save for her alicorn features, Celestia no longer possessed any of the trappings of authority and power that had long been a main-stay of her rule.

As Twilight looked back and forth between the two sisters, she noticed that Celestia's physical appearance was now very similar to Luna's. As the pheonix's light died down, the unicorn backed away from Celestia and looked at the goddesses facing one another. Despite Celestia's change, the two contrasted sharply in poise and countenance. Though standing firmly before Celestia, Luna's face twitched in confusion as the princess choked on the happiness, anger, and sadness she felt. Frustrated, she could only grit her teeth as she struggled to find the right words for her sister. Celestia, on the other hoof, looked calm and collected. However, upon examining her some more, the observant unicorn could detect the cracks in Celestia's blank expression. It was a sight Twilight never thought she'd see in her teacher. Helplessness, resignation, and despair.

Shaking off the shock, Twilight tried her best to ignore her mistress' deficiencies and assure herself that Celestia was perfectly capable with dealing with the horrors unleashed by her absence. But the more she thought about it, the more disturbed she became. Twilight already had a thousand questions biting away at her mind; now she was plagued with a thousand more. Desperately wanting answers to her questions, she could not stop from posing them to her teacher.

"Princess, please, you have to tell me!" Twilight asked, forcing back tears, "Why did you leave us, why didn't you raise the sun!? Was it to hurt Luna? And why did you have such evil things written about her? Was the war really that bad, or did you make it up? Or...or did you orchestrate it? Did you do it for power? Did innocent ponies die just so that you could fashion a lie? Is that why you burned the past? What about Morning Star? Was she a revolutionary or was she really evil? Did you...did you kill her? And Aja-"

"There are many reasons for what I have done, Twilight," Celestia solemnly interrupted, turning to Luna, "and no one is more deserving than my sister to hear them first. "

Twilight turned to Luna who was still staring at Celestia intently. Still sorting out through her confusion, Luna stuttered a response.

"Wh-what are you doing here Celestia? An-and looking like that!"

"...I've been waiting for your arrival, Luna."

"What do you mean by that?" Luna snapped, angered that Celestia would greet her as if it was her fault not to show up in Everfree sooner. "Do you have any idea what you did to me tonight?! Just look at me!"

Already occupied and troubled by the ferocity of Luna's words, Celestia turned her gaze away.

"Look at me!"

An aura of blue magic forced Celestia to face her sister's injuries; the burns, the gashes, and all the bandages that still managed to cling to Luna after the trek through Everfree was a grueling sight that made Celestia recoil.

"Your soldiers have chased me all day because who else would be so cruel as to prevent the sun from rising? Surely not you sister, so benevolent and perfect! It could only be me, Nightmare Moon, the only pony powerful and malicious enough to imprison you. Me! Imprison you! Have you ever heard such a stupid thing? But after seeing what you wrote about me, can you blame the idiots?"

Celestia said nothing but closed her eyes and shudder.

"Oh, does it suddenly pain you to see me, sister?" Luna questioned, "When last has it been since you were savaged by clubs and licked by dragonfire? Tell me, when last were you stabbed in the back, abandoned and left at the mercy of beasts and mortals?!"

"I-"

"I know you and your manipulative tricks, don't think I've forgotten what form you took to deceive me last time we fought at Everfree!" Luna continued to vent, not bothering to listen to her sister, "Was this nightmare all just a part of your plan? A taste of chaos to teach little Luna a lesson?"

"No, Luna-"

"Well, was it worth it Celestia? To have your subjects scatter aimlessly like roaches and your sister, whom you claim to love, nearly put to the sword twice by over-zealous brutes dispensing "justice" in _your_ name? Do you have any idea of what you did or are you just as heartless as you were one thousand years ago?!"

Her mind swirling in a cocktail of bottled emotion, Luna could barely contain herself. She wanted Celestia to know everything the sun goddess had done wrong and repent for her cruelty.

"Are you finished, Luna, or do you wish only to condemn me?" Celestia asked bitterly, "Forgive me for what I did today, I only sought to follow your example..."

Luna's face grew hot at the insinuation.

"My example?! I have never-"

"Never what, little sister? Never disregarded your duty? Never left me to deal with the aftermath of your carelessness? Never betrayed my trust and confidence to our enemies? Or should I count Morning Star among your friends?"

Luna huffed at Celestia's potent words.

"Twice, Luna. Twice you abandoned me when I needed you the most, and twice you ignored my tears and pleas! All to teach _me_ a lesson, am I wrong?"

Luna responded by averting her eyes and blushing.

"So is that what your plan was tonight?" the moon goddess asked , "More vengeance? Was not the moon enough?"

Celestia shook her head and sighed in exasperation.

"Luna, must you be so self-centered as to think I would risk everything just to punish you? Do you really think so little of me? What I did...or better said what I did not do...was not because I wanted to hurt you. No, I did it for you, for our subjects...and for me as well."

"What exactly do you mean by that?" Luna asked, toning down her fiery speech, "Are you trying to tell me that _you_, the princess who banished me to secure her throne and rule unchecked for one thousand years, is just sitting on her rump doing _nothing_?!"

Celestia's expression turned grave at Luna's inquisition.

"...Yes."

The sun goddess turned to look at the swirling snowstorm unfolding outside, like a maiden yearning for the return of her beloved from the raging sea.

"Your words last night were cold and harsh, Luna, but I needed you to say them, I needed that push. I have known my failings for centuries now, but I could not face them alone. My plans, a millennium in the making, could not succeed without you to help me."

Celestia paused and turned back to Luna.

"But you chose to defer our reconciliation and flee. You rightly saw that I wasn't ready...I was..maybe am...still too tied down by my beliefs."

Celestia paused for a moment and looked briefly out the window to watch the swirling snow outside.

"As I watched you fly away into the storm, I felt that if I was ever going to change I would need to become more like you. I needed the strength to cast off my titles, my responsibilities, and...and my power. _All of it_."

Celestia turned and looked at where her crown rested.

"My heart told me to escape and throw all caution to the wind. Being drunk with emotion, I realized that this was my one opportunity to escape the confines of reason and allow myself to be free. So I left Canterlot for Everfree, hoping that I would meet you there. "

The sun goddess stopped and gave a faint smile.

"But you weren't. Do you realize how hard it is for me to figure you out Luna? I mean, my guess made perfect sense, didn't it? But therein was my failure: it was too perfect. It was something[i] I[/i] would do, but you, _you _would be flying recklessly from place to place with no final destination in mind. But I think like a caged bird...give me freedom and I'll just find another prison."

Celestia turned back to face her sister with a frown.

"I hate that about myself, Luna. I've always envied that about your spirit..."

Luna was a bit surprised by Celestia's admission...but then again, Luna admired a lot of things about her sister that she didn't really care to see in herself.

"Although I wished you were at my side, I could not delay my trial." Celestia continued, "By the time I reached the castle, I was already trying to convince myself to turn back. I thought of all the dangers and horrors that would arise from my absence and I cursed myself for being so selfish and heartless! But I had to carry on with my plan, I had to test myself. I needed to be banished. So at midnight I shed my powers as a goddess and sealed them in a friend who doesn't much like cages herself..."

"Philomena!?" Twilight interrupted. At the mentioning of her name, the phoenix swooped down, perched on the unicorn's back, and crooned happily.

"Yes, Twilight. The seal I placed on her will expire once the clock strikes twelve. At that hour, my power will return to me."

"But...but princess." Twilight responded, "How could you really test yourself if you made yourself powerless?"

"...The temptation to reclaim my power always existed, for there is another way to break the seal. I only had to kill Philomena and it would be mine to use again."

"But...but you wouldn't ever do that to a living creature!"

"...You're mistaken, Twilight, I would." Celestia said seriously, "Understand that when my mind was clearer, I was ashamed by what I had done. For you see, thousands of years ago when Luna and I sealed the king of demons in stone, I swore never to allow chaos to reign again. No matter the cost, I have always done everything in my power to preserve order and protect my subjects. But today I broke that vow. I thrust my ponies into the cold unknown and left left them there to quarrel, to sin, and t-to die."

Celestia turned and eyed her sister's injuries once more.

"On top of that, my sister was out roaming Equestria, alone and mortal. I knew she would be used as a scapegoat and that danger would follow her...and that death could take her. Do you know what it's like, Twilight Sparkle, to know you could save everypony you love with the cost of but a single, wicked deed? I have faced this dilemma more times than you can possibly ever know, and it never, _never _gets easier for me. But as a goddess and princess, I must have the strength to do what others cannot."

The sun goddess sighed and looked back at Twilight as she continued her tale.

"As I wandered these empty halls wailing like a child, I began to madly crave the power I locked away. It was mine after all, I gave it away and I would take it back whenever I so pleased! All I had to do was stretch out my hoof, crush a little bird and I could stop the madness I had set into motion. I tried to convince myself that it wasn't wrong for me to kill her. She was a phoenix after all. No real harm would be done...she would be reborn..."

"Celestia, you didn't...didn't try to kill her, did you?"

"No...if I had tried, I would have succeeded. But I wanted to. Every time I looked at her I had to fight off the dark urge. Philomena's loyalty did little to help me. She was constantly at my side, dangling my power before me as if this was all just a funny joke to her."

Celestia glanced at her phoenix, causing the bird to recoil a little bit out of sight.

"I couldn't take it, I was fed up with her mocking presence. I shouted and cursed at her with all the anger and hatred burning my heart and chased her out of the castle..."

"Wait, Celestia." Luna interrupted, "You, you didn't send Philomena to protect me from your guards?"

The sun goddess shook her head.

"I'm sorry, but the only order I gave to Philomena was to leave my sight..."

"Then I'm a fool for thinking you cared enough to save me." Luna replied bitterly, "Your stupid bird has more pity than you."

"Luna, please don't say that! " Celestia begged, "Can't you see how important you are to me? You are absolutely everything to me!"

"Really, Celly?" Luna quipped, "You have a funny way of showing it!"

"Love is far more than just rainbows and sunshine, sister, you know that! When you left me on the balcony, did you do so out of malice or love?"

Luna paused, knowing full well where her sister was going to carry this.

"...Love. I just wanted to make you reflect on what you've done over the centuries and see that you burden yourself needlessly with duties that our subjects are more than capable of handling on their own. I want to set you free..."

"I know why you did what you did last night. You told me as much the last we stood on this very spot a thousand years ago. Do you remember? You loved me so much that you were willing to put an end to our rule, even at the cost of civil war."

Twilight was surprised by her teacher's accusation, but it must have hit its mark. Luna's face was burning with shame.

"Is that true Luna?" the unicorn asked curiously, "You never said that in your story."

"It...it wasn't as bad as Celestia says..." Luna meekly stuttered in response.

"Be honest, sister." Celestia said sternly, "We have millions of memories that time has taken from us, but I remember that day better than I do the last few minutes. I know you do too."

The princess of the night closed her eyes and sighed heavily.

"...Yes Twilight. Celestia warned me of the consequences of the coup, but they weren't important to me. _She was_. I would have done anything to save her from herself, even if that meant risking war."

"It was not a risk; it was inevitable as soon as Morning Star escaped." Celestia responded, "If I had followed you, our empire would have fragmented into a hundred squabbling principalities, duchies, and fiefdoms. The bitter racism we worked so hard to contain would reemerge with a vengeance. War would follow war over every last pebble and speck of dust. In the end, there would be nothing left of Equestria. This country, the one I poured all my love into and blessed with wealth and abundance, would become just another Serengeti..."

At the mention of the Serengeti, Luna briefly thought back to Zecora and the tribal wars plaguing her country for centuries. Perhaps Celestia had reason to maintain unity, but at what cost to the ponies? Freedom? Was it really worth it?

"You should have known that I would never let that happen , not as long as I had the strength to save it!" Celestia continued, "That was all I could think of in that dark moment. I had so little time and I was so angry and hurt that my...my arrogance got the best of me."

Celestia paused, her violet eyes shimmering with welled tears.

"I dared to think that I could restore harmony alone. So I sealed you away. I had to. I loved you too much to fight you anymore...I still...still can't believe that you struck me..."

"Celestia, you tried to stop me from doing what was right and just. I had no choice; I _had_ to stand for my beliefs! That's something you could never understand! You've always championed morality and justice, but the only thing you really believe in is yourself! You wear a thousand masks at court, but each one of them is geared towards the same goal: your need to survive and control!"

"I am whatever my subjects need me to be, as a good ruler should!" Celestia retorted, "I have seen a hundred nations fall because fools placed the principles of their decisions over their practicality!"

"So what then?" Luna snapped back, "Was I wrong to stop you from strangling your former student, the one you once called Equestria's 'shining light'? How can you lead if you place yourself above the laws you made!?"

Startled by hearing of her mistress' murderous intent, Twilight gave Celestia a frightened look and backed away. Seeing this, a worried Celestia stumbled in addressing the unicorn.

"Twilight, my precious student! You do not,_ you cannot _understand the kind of pain that ripped through my heart! Yes she was a rebellious, defiant, and arrogant mare, but I loved my little Morning Star dearly. She grew up at my side and shared with me not just the wonders and joys of life's journey, but their sorrows and frustrations too."

Giving a light laugh as a single tear rolled down the side of her face, Celestia lovingly parted Twilight's mane and looked deeply into her eyes.

"You two are alike in many ways, Twilight, and yet still so incredibly different, like dusk and dawn. She was to me like you are now; my daughter, my ambitious, intelligent, beautiful, absolutely perfect, _perfect_ daughter."

Twilight blushed at Celestia's comment. Although the princess had never been shy in showing her affection in private, she had never called her something that intimate before.

"So just imagine how I felt when I found that the pony pulling at my sister's strings was the one who I showered with all the wisdom and love I had to offer. And then to see her smile like an amused schoolfilly at my pain! To her, we were just playing a game, and she was ahead by five moves. Luna was only the bait in her plan, the spark to ignite her war. I didn't want to take it! No, I had only to make one move and I could have put an end to her plot and spare Equestria from the ravages of her revolution."

Celestia breathed heavily and continued slowly.

"All I had to do was...was to remove her. Everything she built would have crumbled without her...It was for the greater good."

"The greater good!" Luna mocked, "You say that a lot, sister. I guess it's pretty easy when it means whatever it is that fits your need! Well, what can you expect from its self-appointed defender? But know this: in the end, all your foresight is fantasy. The only true measure of your morality is how you act with the time given to you. And you know what you did? You broke your own laws and nearly killed somepony out of hate!"

Celestia shook her head in disappointment as a few tears streamed down the sides of her cheek.

"You still don't understand, do you? Luna, power knows no morality! My duty as a ruler is neither truly good, nor is it evil. Millions of lives hinge upon my every breath, and every decision I make brings fortune to some and ruin to others.I have worked _so hard _to bring out everything good and just in this world, but in spite of all of my victories, the sins of my choices will always weigh heavier on my heart! For what is a ruler but a glorified sinner? But this burden must be mine, I must spare the innocence of my subjects...only then can they be free of the great evils born from power's abuse."

"Celestia, stop pretending to be the victim!" Luna replied, "Your "burden" is brought on by your own choice. Power, control, dominance, prestige. These are all things you have lusted for over the centuries. Admit it, you love them too much to give them up!"

For a moment, Celestia withheld her tears and responded in a distant voice.

"...You're right, Luna. In a sense. I do love power. I love it because I love our ponies. I love it because power to me is not an end but a means to protect and nurture, to create and improve... "

As if coming back from a trance, Celestia's voice hardened as she looked Luna straight in the eye once more.

"But you are also wrong. I hate power. It robs me of my identity, crushes my soul, and leaves me in a thousand different pieces. Masks, you called them. Rarely can I show my true feelings or share in intimate relationships. My subjects still look at me in fear and awe...as they must...though there is nothing more I'd love than to be treated like a friend and not a princess..."

Twilight was moved by the princess' words. The young student often thought of her friendship letters to Celestia to be a chore at times and wondered why she wanted to read them. It struck Twilight when she realized that Celestia really didn't have any real, close friends, only a bunch of insipid nobles and politicians. No wonder she needed Twilight to use the Elements for her.

"...But my hate runs deeper still. I have seen power overwhelm and destroy those I love too many times, twisting their hearts and minds so horribly that I could not even recognize them..."

"Morning Star was not corrupt!" Luna retorted, "She was no different from you in at least one way; she wanted what was for the greater good! But not the short-term one you sought, but for a truly revolutionary idea! Don't try to fool Twilight into thinking that we were wicked and power hungry for wanting change, it's not true!"

"Is she right, princess, was Morning Star a democrat, or was she really like you said she was?"

Avoiding Twilight's curious gaze, Celestia did not answer right away.

"Princess?"

"...Morning Star was a prodigy born before her time...an idealist with a mind for _realpolitik_..." Celestia muttered, "She looked enviously on at the small republics dotting the borders of our land, thinking the government of a tiny city-state was fitting for an empire. Despite all the injustices of those, those _oligarchies_, she found them preferable to me. To her I, as the root of power, was the root of all evil...and so she came to hate me."

Celestia paused as the memory of her former student ate away at her self-discipline.

"The impatient foal...she wanted what was impossible, and she knew it. Morning Star may have wanted a brighter future, but she didn't have the means to bring it about. All she could do was remove me and hope that mortal rule would bring greater harmony and equality to Equestria someday...but in the mean time she wasn't hesitant to snatch control for herself. After all, she was my student, one of the very best. Morning Star did not come to lead her alliance by the will of any pony save her own. She could talk all she wanted about the virtues of democracy, but in practice she refused to have her genius tied down by the squabbling of nobles and the begging of peasants..."

Trying to bring herself back under control Celestia sighed and continued.

"So no, Twilight, Morning Star was not the witch you read of in those old books, but neither was she the saint Luna would like you to think of her as. Simply put, she was my adversary, the greatest I've ever faced. For even when I fought against Discord's madness, I had my sister at my side..."

Celestia turned to face Luna, her expression now grave.

"That's why she took you from me."

"That's where you're wrong, Celestia." Luna replied, "It wasn't Morning Star who banished me to the moon. No, you have only to look at yourself to find the culprit! You say that you did it because I abandoned you, and that it was only out of love, but let's face the facts. I was your only equal and the only real threat to your rule. It doesn't take bells and a beard to see that without me, you could do whatever you wanted. So don't blame me if I find your story that-that some mortal had you under her hoof to be nothing more than another of your lies!"

Celestia was dismayed by her sister's cynicism, leaving her as pale as the moonlight touching her brow.

"You find it hard to believe?" she asked, "I thought your trials today would have shown you just how terrifying it was for me during the first years of the war...and how badly it hurt to be without you."

"What? You can't honestly be saying..."

"Just listen, please." Celestia begged, desperate to be understood "Banishing you was the most difficult choice I have ever, ever, had to make. But Luna, you have to accept this...I didn't want to fight a war against you, my only sister! I thought that if you were but sealed away for a time, I could spare our relationship from the tragedy of war and give me time to rebui-..."

"I'm glad you found my torment on the moon so much more acceptable," Luna interrupted, "because it _really_ did wonders for our relationship!"

Luna approached her sister and gazed into her eyes.

"Celestia, it drove me to hatred and insanity." she said slowly, her words quivering with injury and rage,"I wanted more than revenge, I wanted to _kill_ you."

Luna paused and leaned in to whisper into Celestia's ear.

"You made me into a monster, just like the one in your books!"

Celestia flinched as if bitten by a viper. She looked weak and a bit pathetic as she tried to recover from the sting of her sister's harsh words.

"That was never my intent," Celestia responded bitterly, "I just wanted to protect you."

"Protect me? Really? Then why did you leave me there to rot for a thousand years?!"

"Because I could do nothing." Celestia said defensively, "I had the audacity to use the Elements of Harmony alone and I paid the price for my foolishness! Do you know what happened to them after I banished you? They fell to my hooves and became dormant rocks..."

Celestia stopped and cast her eyes downwards in shame.

"I realized then that I had destroyed the natural order of the world. I...I shattered harmony, like the tyrant Discord before me. It's fitting and no surprise, then, that I should lose all right to wield such power ever again. But I lost something much more important than the Elements. You."

Celestia shook her head, as if trying to free herself from the unpleasant memory.

"By banishing you, I threw the heavens into chaos. I couldn't raise the sun and bring in the new day without you to set the moon and peal back the night first...I had never felt so helpless before in my life. That night lasted almost a year."

"No, no that-that's impossible." Luna stuttered.

"No, it makes total sense." Twilight said softly, "If Princess Celestia couldn't raise the sun, it would explain why the famine was so terrible and why so many ponies died..."

Celestia nodded in response to Twilight's observation and turned back to Luna.

"I know what sort of fear and pain you felt today, Luna. I know what it's like to face a mob of angry mortals who blame me for their ills. I know what it's like to face death. I know because I lived this day a thousand times."

Luna backed away from the throne and tried to sort out everything Celestia was telling her. A part of her just wanted to accept her sister's words, but she could not shake off her mistrust. Celestia was crafty and good at playing off of others' emotions, a fact that made Luna very uneasy.

Seeing that Luna was conflicted, Celestia continued to try convincing her the truth of the past.

"'We were meant to rule together.' I've told you that countless times, and I meant it on every single occasion. Without you, I'm nothing but a fraud. That's why Morning Star had you abdicate; it destroyed almost every shred of legitimacy I had. After I sealed you away, I lost the rest."

Celestia sighed as a gust of wind blew through the chamber.

"Your banishment was the greatest blessing Morning Star could ever ask for. She used you as a martyr to rally support around your banner...her banner...and blamed me for the disorder in the heavens. Their crops dying and their families going hungry, the common ponies began to flock to her side, and soon angry foreigners joined them. My support was dwindling and I needed to fight back...so I-I..."

"You dreamed up Nightmare Moon." Luna said coldly, "You reduced me to some sick, evil, twisted caricature just to cling to your throne."

"I did it to _survive_, Luna." Celestia said, fresh tears falling from her face, "Did you do anything differently today?"

Luna looked at Twilight who was shaking her head in the negative. Luna instantly recalled the lie she told to little Applebloom and how she shouted at Twilight, framing herself as the sole victim. Even when she told the "truth" to Twilight and her friends, her bias and ignorance passed as fact.

"Well-"

"You don't need to tell me, I could hear it drip from Twilight's questions. It is the same way you've always seen me, Luna. You think I'm all-powerful and all-knowing and that somehow all my plans and desires come together perfectly. I know you took comfort in the idea as you danced away the night or left off on some adventure to a foreign land while I had to tend to your holdings."

Sadness and spite were thick on Celestia's tongue as she continued.

"But never you worry little Lulu, Big Sis Celly will take care of everything while you go out and play! She loves being princess more than anything! After all, she's just a cold and heartless tyrant who loves to write nasty lies, plot wars and starve ponies!"

Celestia stopped and tried to collect herself, a look of shock and regret clear upon her face.

"I'm sorry, I didn't want to be so mean...I got carried away..."

Luna was a bit taken aback by Celestia's sarcasm. Not only was she surprised to see Celestia's own bottled-up resentment, but ashamed of how right her sister was. She had neglected her duties as a princess and piled them on Celestia, feeding her power addiction, not freeing her from it. Luna felt guilt, too, for demonizing Celestia by painting her as a perfectly flawless tyrant. Twilight had warned her that she was no better than Celestia, but...

"But what could I have done Celestia?" Luna cried, "Everypony hated me, and the truth...the truth is so buried and lost that I couldn't hope to vindicate myself without...exaggerating or lying a bit."

"Do you think it was any easier for me?" Celestia replied, "Morning Star used propaganda to turn my subjects against me, so I did the same to win them back. I blamed the everlasting night on you, the moon goddess, and told them that you had been possessed by a demon hungry for war and destruction. I didn't want to blacken your name, Luna, so I named my imaginary foe Nightmare Moon and used her as my scapegoat."

"But what about the war in the heavens?" Twilight asked, "The histories I read all agree that you openly fought with Nightmare Moon to bring day and night to the world. Was that a lie too?"

"It was based on truth, as most lies are." Celestia said, doing her best to appear calm, "I was busy trying to restore order in the heavens, or at least the appearance of it. The task of rotating the earth and upholding the laws of the universe was extremely difficult to do alone. It required almost all the time and power I had at my disposal, but even then it still could take me weeks just to complete one cycle."

"Couldn't you just explain to them what was going on, did you really need to lie?" Twilight replied.

"As you can imagine, the truth wasn't exactly inspiring or easy for ponies at the time to understand. So I simplified it as a struggle between good and evil, a duel between goddesses for the salvation or destruction of the world," Celestia replied distantly, "I couldn't let them see their princess so weak and impotent. For you see, Twilight, my labors sapped my power and left me vulnerable. It was like I had become mortal myself. So understand that If I had shown them my burns and scars, my subjects would have lost all faith in me..."

Twilight was about to ask another question, but it seemed that Celestia wasn't quite done with what she wanted to say..

"Keep in mind that I was doing my best to fight a war on several fronts at the same time. It didn't help that I was...well, paranoid that my generals would betray me. So I commanded my armies personally when I was at Canterlot. To keep my generals in check, I drew up a list of approved tactics, responses, and strategies to be used while I was gone."

Celestia closed her eyes and let out a disappointed sigh.

"It was a disaster. Although I was able to hold Morning Star and her allies at bay for awhile, she steadily crept deeper and deeper into my empire as the years dragged on. I knew I couldn't trust anypony, so I placed my hope and trust in a young and loyal drake instead..."

Twilight's eyes widened.

"Princess, was his name Ajax?"

Celestia turned to Twilight with a surprised look on her face.

"Yes, but how the heavens did you learn that? There shouldn't be a record left that carries his name."

"He told me himself a few hours ago just before he attacked and nearly killed Luna." Twilight replied "We're lucky that my friend Zecora was at her house to help us. It was a really close call."

Celestia looked at her sister's wounds intently again with a new sense of horror.

"Ajax is awake?"

At that moment, a faint tremor passed through the castle as if to answer Celestia's question.

"Yeah...he said that Rainbow Dash woke him up with a Sonic Rainboom." Twilight reported, ignoring the disturbance "You have to admit, it's pretty impossible to ignore one of those."

"Yes...I felt it too...and feared for the worst. But how did you escape Ajax, certainly you did not..."

"Don't worry, Celestia, your dragon is safe." Luna interrupted, "I put him back to sleep. He shouldn't be pose a threat to anypony for a good decade."

Celestia sighed in relief.

"Good, that puts me at ease." the sun goddess said, "I was afraid that...never mind. Everyone is safe now, that's what's important..."

"Princess, what happened to him? He was obsessed with hurting Luna as if that was his only purpose in life. Dragon's might be rude and selfish, but Ajax just sounded, well, crazy!"

"Wars leave many scars, Twilight, and war was all Ajax knew." Celestia said sadly, "His father, Mikhail, was a noble dragon who bravely chose to stand by me when most of his brethren had flocked to Morning Star. It was a fateful decision. Not a week passed when I heard the news that Mikhail and his mate had been murdered by my enemies. When I arrived at his cave, I found their nest smashed and most of their treasure stolen. But near the lava's edge, I found Mikhail's only surviving egg. Surely, I thought, this was a child of destiny. The prospect of new life gave me hope, so I took the egg back with me to Canterlot and hatched him."

The sun goddess gave a faint smile as she recalled the few happy memories she had cherished in those unhappiest times.

"My little Ajax was the only joy in my life during the war," she continued,"He was such a smart and playful little boy...I remember giving him wild rides around the castle when everypony was asleep...raiding the stores for provisioned sweets...playing pranks on those stuffy generals..."

Celestia paused and gave a light chuckle.

"Ha! And there was that time he tried to eat the crown jewels! That caused quite the funny little crisis at court..."

"Celly." Luna interrupted, "I know you love the dragon, but can you reminisce later? I have the same question as Twilight; what happened to him, or better yet, what did you do to him? He was obviously more than just someone to love you."

Celestia's warm smile faded as if Luna had thrown a bucket of ice water over her head.

"You're right, I did have plans for my little dragonling. I wanted him to be a leader, someone whose loyalty I could always depend on. I had him trained in the arts of war and disciplined by my best generals. But as he grew older, he became colder and more dedicated to martial arts. I started seeing him less and less as the war and disorder grew worse. When he was fifteen, I learned that he had fought in his first battle. But when I spoke with him, I found that he was much too happy to talk about the bloody, disgusting horrors of war. This worried me and made me reluctant to let him fight, but he was so...this is terrible for me to say...so good at killing and defeating the enemy. As long as he fought and led, my armies seemed to be unstoppable."

Celestia breathed a heavy, disappointed sigh.

"But he was rarely in control. I was, and so we continued to lose ground."

Celestia gave a frustrated growl as she proceeded to correct herself.

"Agh, lose ground! We nearly lost the war when Morning Star managed to pierce our defenses and lay siege to Canterlot!"

"The siege of Canterlot!" Twilight exclaimed, happy to make another connection with her research, "It really happened then? Blackteeth—er Ajax, was supposed to have been key to defending the city."

"Correct," Celestia replied, "In my absence, Ajax disobeyed my orders and saved Canterlot from certain doom. At that point I realized that I couldn't hold on to power without giving some of it up, so I entrusted Ajax with all my earthly responsibilities. That way I could keep order in the heavens and have a shot at turning the tide of war back."

Celestia sighed heavily.

"It was then Ajax truly changed. I have watched power consume and destroy many, but never as horribly as it did to him. He became obsessed with the task I gave him and poured all his energy into crushing the rebellion. Slowly, he stopped treating me as a friend and started to idolize me. I became untouchable and sacred in his eyes; nothing I could do was wrong. It only got worse once I gave him my sword, because he came believe that he had become infallible as well."

Celestia shut her eyes tightly, remembering the terrible fires Ajax spread across Equestria.

"Nothing mattered to him but victory. He was utterly ruthless, burning entire villages, butchering innocent ponies, and sacrificing hundreds of his own soldiers. Not even his own kind were spared from his brutality; never before had a drake killed so many dragons on his own. Ajax scorched the earth as he marched, massacring any army who dare chose to take arms against him and his armies. He collected the weapons and armor of his fallen foes and horded them, feeding his greed and growing him into a massive beast."

Twilight nodded as her teacher spoke. Celestia's account matched up perfectly with the horrors attributed to Nightmare Moon in the histories she translated.

"I tried to stop him, but he'd always twist my words or ignore them. At times he treated me like a senile old mare who didn't know any better...it was infuriating, but I was too occupied to challenge him."

"Imagine never being listened to..." Luna muttered.

"Only one good came from Ajax's wicked rampage." Celestia continued, "His barbarity forced the rebels to come to the table and negotiate a surrender."

"But what happened to Morning Star?" Twilight asked, perhaps with more concern then she wanted to show.

"You don't make this easy for me, do you Twilight?" Celestia said, masking her despair with a light chuckle, "I'm opening up very, very old wounds..."

"You didn't execute her, did you?" Luna asked, remembering the promise she made Celestia a thousand years ago.

"No. This country would not heal itself with executions, it needed hope...it needed reconciliation. I...I tried to forgive Morning Star. It hurt and I hated what she did to you and me...but I still loved her...in a way."

Luna found it difficult to accept that Celestia had any love for Morning Star. As such, she did not take sister's words at face value. However, she didn't want to make a fuss about this issue; there were so many more important ones they still needed to discuss anyway. Letting this matter go was fairly easy.

"Morning Star, however, did not share my feelings." Celestia continued, "She refused to surrender, even when Ajax ambushed the last of her armies in the passes of the Appleachians. I was there that day hoping I could sway her, but she spat on me and cursed my name. Ajax was furious at the slight and wouldn't let it go. So she challenged him to a duel, an offer he accepted instantly."

Celestia sighed once more.

"Even in defeat, Morning Star found one last way to torment me. All she had to do was take someone I love and have them put to the sword. It didn't matter to her if it was Ajax or herself..."

"But it was Ajax who won, he killed her." Twilight muttered sadly, wishing that the outcome had turned out differently.

"Yes, but make no mistake. Morning Star was an incredible warrior in her own right. Her mastery of magic made her more deadly than any unicorn who has ever lived, making her more than a worthy opponent for young Ajax. Their duel was long, bloody, and passionate, as if they sought to reenact the entire war with their macabre dance! But by the end, Morning Star was lying in a pool of her own blood, defeated at last. At least, that's what I thought when I stopped Ajax from killing her. I begged my student to surrender, but she only smiled and asked me to give her the ragged blue banner she flew so many times on the battlefield. There was nothing more I could do, so I complied with her dying wish."

Twilight was enthralled by Celestia's account. There was something about the way the princess spoke that made Twilight feel that it was at least accurate. Every word she delivered seemed to carry with it a piece of her soul, as if there were no longer any reason to hide the past.

"Taking the banner and using it as support, she used the last of her energy to stand up. She was magnificent, Twilight, even in her final moments. Her beautiful fiery mane flowed gently in the midsummer breeze as she stood defiant and proud against me, her goddess. I can still hear her last words to this day..."

The sun goddess proceeded to coldly recite Morning Star's final message.

"My death is not a defeat, Celestia. You may have delayed it, but change will come to Equestria. No power in this world can stop the inevitable path of ponies towards justice and freedom. I am, and always will be, victorious.'"

Celestia paused and lowered her head in grief.

"She died there, standing. Her ashes rest in my garden under the statue 'Victory' so that I may never lose sight of her wisdom."

A brief silence passed between the three, each reflecting a bit on what was said. Luna, of course, was of identical sentiment, but Twilight was a bit more skeptical. How could history have an inevitable conclusion? Conditions and factors governing progress lent themselves to regression as well. Twilight thought about Celestia's ban on weapons development. Surely, if Celestia allowed the propagation high tech-weaponry, destabilizing horrors would be unleashed on the world, setting the clock back hundreds of years. Heck, a natural disaster could wipe out centuries of progress in an instant. History is constantly in flux; to say that it was allowed a single path was kind of conceited. Anyway, it seemed that Celestia, even if she did still wield complete authority, was able to accommodate to change and worked within the parameters of the democratic governments she established. But Luna and Morning Star were right too, Celestia still had to let go of control in order for the ideal to be realized to its fullest possible extent. Maybe it was just a fancy, but Twilight guessed that Celestia knew this had to be done.

After awhile, Celestia continued her account, as if wanting to leave the previous memory behind in the process.

"After the duel, I started the peace process with all the nations involved in the war. A policy of clemency was in everyone's best interests, as we all suffered greatly. But Ajax refused to go along with my wishes, deciding that he should personally punish one of the smaller republics. So he slaughtered and burned a small griffon village, right after I signed the treaty."

Celestia's eyes looked dark and angry as she stared at the cold floor of Everfree Castle.

"He nearly destroyed the fragile peace he fought to bring to the world as if it meant nothing to him. But what could I expect from him? He was my angel of death; the only way he knew how to dispense justice was through wickedness. I had made him into a monster that knew only war...I was guilty for his sins, I let him do it. I unleashed the evil within him and benefited from his violent crimes. Now it was my duty to protect the world from his cruelty...my cruelty...but I still could not forget the little dragonling who had been my only friend...my only family during the darkest times. I hoped that the war's end would mean that he would go out and find a mate, collect treasure, and sleep as normal dragons do. But he was beyond lost...so I banished him to the lands surrounding Tartarus..."

"Everfree." Luna added.

"...with the hope that he would go to sleep. And he did, thankfully."

Luna was happy to hear Celestia take responsibility for the deaths of the thousands lost in the war. She had half-expected her sister to pin it all on Ajax and Morning Star. But there was still a few problems that Luna had with Celestia's account.

"You told me that you could control both day and night through a spell you learned." Luna said, "I know for a fact that this is true, but what you're telling me now is that you struggled in the heavens to complete the cycle. Forgive me if I find it hard to believe that you didn't have a grip on things."

"That's because the technique took me years to master." Celestia replied, "It was difficult because I had to use...black magic."

Luna's eyes widened in surprise. The sun goddess had always denounced the use of dark powers ever since they sealed Discord, saying that doing so only tempted the demon's return. Celestia gave a slight growl at Luna's reaction.

"Don't act like that, you know my nights were only cheap mockeries of yours. As I said, I'm a fraud without you and so was the 'harmony' following the war. To maintain the illusion, I learned to channel your power through the use of black magic..."

Celestia's expression softened as she explored yet another dark memory.

"...I was not exactly honest with you, Luna. Not only did it give a me a bit of your power, it created a link between us, one which bounded our dreams together. In my sleep I could feel your agony, if only a fraction of it, but it was more intense than anything I have ever experienced. I can never fully understand how much you suffered, but know that I shared it with you."

Celestia approached Luna and nuzzled against her side of her face. The moon goddess, unsure of what to think of Celestia's claim, was still happy to see her sister seek her affection and reciprocated the gesture.

"It's like Ajax said," Twilight thought out loud, "Luna, you really did torment Celestia's dreams."

"Celly." Luna asked her face scrunched as if trying to recall something, "When I fell asleep, I would hear the name "Nightmare Moon" over and over. Was that you? I don't remember the voice, just the words."

"...Yes. As I watched madness and hatred take you, I could no longer recognize my sister. It seemed as though I had created another monster from someone I loved...and so I named you Nightmare Moon because you had become the very demon I invented, as if the fates were punishing me for my lie by making it become true."

Celestia sighed.

"I knew I had to save you, and the only way I could do that was with the Elements of Harmony. Shortly after the war it was foretold that the magic of the Elements would take on flesh and blood after a millennium. Once they were assembled, true harmony could begin to be restored...meaning that you would be able to escape from your hope was the only thing sustaining me during my rule, and everything I did was bent towards preparing for your arrival. Did you think I burned those histories because I wanted the world to hate you? I did it to give you a clean slate!"

"Yes, after you blackened the first." Luna muttered before speaking up, "If you really tried to destroy my memory, why then does your "royal family" know of it?"

"As much as I wanted to do so, forgetting the lessons of the past is dangerous." Celestia replied gravely, "I regret it now, but it was a useful story to keep members of the nobility in check so to ensure that they would never rise against me. The legend growing around Nightmare Moon, too, was hard to suppress because the ponies tied it to their harvest celebrations. But its origins were eventually forgotten...so I let it go."

Luna frowned and kicked at the ground.

"You really did a great job, sis."

"I did the best I could, but I needed some clues to your existence for my student to find."

"Princess...was all that happened in Ponyville really part of your plan to redeem Luna?" Twilight asked, remembering what Luna had told her about Celestia's craftiness.

"Yes, every bit of it." Celestia said quietly, "Ponyville was always intended to be the cradle of harmony. When the pioneers first asked for the lands near the border of Everfree, I thought it the ideal place to stage Luna's return. It was a small village halfway between Canterlot and Everfree, perfect for containing the terror she would unleash. As the thousandth year drew closer, I sought out the Elements throughout Equestria. Loyalty, laughter, honesty, generosity and kindness, and through different means I assembled them all in Ponyville. All that was needed was a little spark."

Celestia warmly smiled at Twilight in an unusual display of happiness.

"My little Twilight Sparkle, the final and most crucial of the Elements." the sun goddess said tenderly, "The day I saw your power, I knew that you had the potential to wield the Elements. The problem was, dear, that you had too much brain and not enough heart! You need both to bring about harmony but I couldn't just teach you about the joy and power of friendship. It needed to grow on its own...so all I did was give you a little nudge out the door."

"Princess, you tasked all my friends with putting together the Summer Sun Celebration." Twilight said flatly, "You basically gave me a check off list."

"Really Celestia?" Luna grinned, "Your plan doesn't sound exactly subtle. Maybe you are right, maybe I do think too highly of your skills."

"No, it didn't need to be subtle. It was simple, as the best laid plans are." Celestia said in a matter-of-factually manner. Deep down, however, she was happy to see the frosty tension between them start to melt. "You can make fun of it all you want, but it worked...unlike the more complicated ones..."

"Like what?" Luna asked, "It seems everything happened according to your plan."

Celestia frowned, a bit ashamed by her failures.

"That's not exactly true. I wanted...no, I tried to make the world in your image." Celestia admitted,"I crafted every law, policy, and government with such perfect precision as to guide Equestria to a greater, more just society, the one you had always wanted, but slowly...steadily...manageably."

"Sister, how can you see it that way?" Luna replied, "You can't create a world for me when the world I want is to be created by the ponies. It's a paradox. All you did was create a puppet parliament with you as its shadow empress. All power and authority still flows from you. It's an illusion no different from your night sky. "

Luna nuzzled her sister affectionately.

"Celly, the same problem remains. You need to let go of your power and put your faith in your subjects."

Celestia shook her head furiously.

"I've tried, I have. The centuries have given me hundreds of opportunities, but I squandered them all. Every time I give up control...I'm just tempted into taking it back. When I see my ponies suffering or if I see the signs of power's corruption spread, I want to stop it...so I do. Last night was no different."

"Celly be honest with yourself..."

"You still don't believe me." Celestia said, sounding a bit hurt, "But I tried again recently, you know. Didn't you wonder why the north wind blows so strongly and freely? It's because I willed it-I freed the seasons from their shackles."

Luna stood back in shock. The night before she had mocked and criticized Celestia's lust for power to her sister's face while ignoring the wild wind's bellows behind her. Had she perhaps listened closely to its roaring, she would have heard it attest to Celestia's desire to reform.

"But the frigid winds threatened the harvest." Celestia continued, " I couldn't bear the idea of seeing any of my ponies starve because of an early winter. So I was ready to push back against nature...until you stopped me."

"I'm glad you're taking steps, Celestia." Luna replied, "But the real challenge for you is not to give up power, but to give it away."

"But look what it did to Ajax! Look at what he did to you!" Celestia cried "I...I can't let that sort of evil emerge again."

"Ajax didn't go mad because you gave him power." Luna said, trying to comfort her conflicted sister, "You gave him [i]absolute [/i]power, and you're right. No mortal should have that. What you need to do is not concentrate power, you need to disperse it. That's how you stop the evils you fear."

"Luna, you're asking me to spread the responsibility and sins of power to all my subjects." Celestia answered, "You know that their innocence will be forever lost if that were to happen. There would be no chance for your ideal society to thrive."

"I know this now. It's an ideal after all, but we can at least get closer to it."

"I think I get it now." Twilight said, gaining the attention of the two goddesses.

"Yes my faithful student?" Celestia said, "Do you have a report for me?"

"I realize that even though you might think or feel a certain way, almost everypony shares the same concerns and wants what's best for everypony else. But it's those differences we fight about, so much so that we lose sight of what those goals originally were and end up violating what we all wanted to protect. Freedom, security, happiness, it doesn't matter. It's a tragedy, but it's also a call to listen to one another and find common ground. Take you two for instance, you're almost complete opposites destined to come into conflict. Logically you should hate one another, yet you share a love stronger than anything I've ever seen before. That love is a perfect union of reason and emotion, the natural balance that serves as the heart of harmony. Without one, the other is lost and powerless. Only with love in our hearts can we truly strive to bring about a happier, more just world."

"Well said Twilight," Celestia smiled, giving the unicorn a quick nuzzle on the cheek, "That was quite the lesson!"

"That doesn't mean I don't have any bugs to pick at," Twilight said, "Princess, this whole test of yours, I understand it I do. You tried to recreate the events of the past to show that you really could overcome the temptation of power...but Luna's right. The real test is giving power to other ponies! No offense, but I feel like you could've done this a whole lot safer if you told somepony you'd be gone for the day!"

"I'm-I'm sorry Twilight" Celestia stuttered, surprised at her student's brashness, "I told you, I wasn't thinking straight-"

"No excuses."

Twilight then turned her attention to Luna.

"Celestia's not the only alicorn guilty of not thinking things through. When you abdicated the throne, did you have really any idea who was going to succeed you and Celestia? Nobles? Morning Star? The structure and organization of a functional modern democracy?"

"Uh-"

"Exactly. Geez, if you two weren't so arrogant it would have saved us a lot of heartache and trouble." Twilight said, smirking and rolling her eyes, "I have a feeling you two are going to need more help than just each other. But don't worry, I have a couple ideas to help you out. I know government isn't exactly my forte, but I know how it can be reformed so that Princess Celestia can distance herself from the action."

"Really Twilight?" Luna smiled, happy to see some solutions, "Like what?"

"Well, an actual written constitution, for starters." Twilight said perhaps a little too snarkly, "I think we've been going off tradition for a bit too long."

Celestia smiled at her student and gently combed aside the frizzled locks of her purple mane.

"Twilight, I really am so proud of you. It wasn't too long ago when you were just a timid little unicorn scared stiff of other ponies. Now you've blossomed into a confident and strong leader, just like Morning Star. But where she separated my sister from me and helped bring about chaos, you have twice reunited us and helped to restore peace and harmony, something I alone could never do."

Celestia lightly kissed her student's brow.

"I'm forever in your debt, Twilight. History will never forget your name nor those of your friends, for as long as I live I will guard your memories. This is the closest I can give you to immortality, something which is beyond my power to bestow..."

"Wait a second...immortality!" Twilight said, bringing her hoof to her forehead, "Princess Celestia, Luna still doesn't have hers back yet! We tried using the Elements of Harmony but..."

"They didn't work, I'd imagine." Celestia interrupted, "Perhaps you should try them again. I think that you'll find them far more cooperative when my sister and I are together."

"But Princess...the Royal Guard has my friends..."

"Hmm...that is a prob-"

At that moment, the three heard the sound of cracking trees and felt the castle shake at its foundations.

"What's going on?!" Twilight said, trying not to trip over herself.

Celestia said nothing but eyed Philomena hungrily as Everfree continued to tremble.

"Sister!" Luna called, breaking the sun goddess from her trance, "Stop! You're so close!"

No sooner did she say this, the roof at the opposite the end of the throne room collapsed, allowing a gigantic red beast to slither through the breach. With a terrifying roar, Ajax announced his return. Immediately, Philomena swooped to attack the intruder, only to be swiped away like a gnat.

"Nightmare Moon!" Ajax growled, as he swung his head blindly about the throne room, crushing a few pillars in the process, "I know you're here, I can smell your wickedness! Let us end what you were too cowardly to finish!"

Accepting the challenge with a stern face, Luna boldly trotted to face her foe. Her horn glowing, Luna lit the room with her blue magic, revealing Ajax's terrible wounds. Even though this dragon was her enemy, the princess of the night was filled with disgust at what she saw. One of Ajax's eyes was gored, leaving only traces of tissue to dangle hideously from its socket. Luna also noticed that one of Ajax claws was firmly gripping his chest in a vain attempt to hide what was obviously a gaping wound. In the stillness of Everfree, she could hear the blood dripping slowly on the castle floor, drop by drop.

"Ajax, please, I beg you to stop!" Celestia cried, her voice filled with a mother's love, "It's over, please, let me heal you!"

Ajax looked at the princess only to snort and laugh at the sight.

"Is that the best Celestia you can conjure, Nightmare? This sad, pitiful mockery of her beauty and power! Bah! I will not be fooled by your charms again, now fight!"

Using his mighty wings, the dragon charged down the length of the throne room Luna braced herself, her horn glowing ready to counter Ajax's attack, but Luna was unprepared for what just happened next. Descending from above, Celestia placed herself between the two combatants and stretched her white wings aggressively."

"As your princess and goddess I order you to stop!"

"Begone phantom!" Ajax roared in response, not bothering to slow down the slightest.

"I will not let you harm my sister!"

The faint sound of pierced flesh echoed softly throughout the castle, followed by a tense and disturbing silence. Ajax, in his conceit and blood lust, had impaled his neck upon Celestia's ivory horn. Luna looked on in disbelief as Celestia stood under the dragon, completely frozen, her eyes wide with horror. At that moment, a loud squawk and a poof of magic was heard, marking Philomena's death at the claws of Ajax. It didn't take long for Celestia to feel her power and magic return to her like a whirlwind of transformation. Though once more regal in appearance and stature, Celestia's pain was still very clear upon her face.

Making a few sick guttural cries as blood filled his mouth, Ajax looked down to see the princess he swore his life to defend.

"Sol-solnychka..."

"Shhh...Mishka..."

The dragon gave a final breath as his eye rolled back into his head. Slowly removing her horn from Ajax's gullet, the overpowering grief of the situation was too much for Celestia to handle.

"My little dragon, I'm so sorry that I have no more tears left tonight to give you...I-I cannot mourn for you properly though every inch of me wishes to do so. Forgive your weak mother..."

The sun goddess then began to sing in Wyrmish, surprising Luna a little. Celestia was not exactly the best at remembering songs, that was more of the moon goddess' talent. Though her Wyrmish wasn't up to par, she recognized the tune. It was a an old lullaby sung to hatchlings that spoke of a mother's hope for an honorable and courageous son. It echoed, too, the unsettling warrior ethos of dragons. Trying to remember the words, Luna joined her sister in song, her chilling voice adding its weight to Ajax's tragic death.

In Equestrian letters, it sounded thus-like:

_Spi , mladenets moĭ prekrasnyĭ ,_

_Bayushki - bayu ._

_Tikho smotrit mesyats yasnyĭ_

_V nashe logovo ._

_Stanu skazyvatʹ ya skazki ,_

_Pesenku spoyu ;_

_Ty zh dremli , zakryvshi glazki ,_

_Bayushki - bayu..._

_Sam uznaeshʹ , budet vremya ,_

_Brannoe zhitʹe ;_

_smelo budet tochitʹ kogti i zuby polirovannyĭ_

_i vstupitʹ v srazhenie_

_tkanʹ vashego bannera_

_Shelkom razoshʹyu ..._

_Spi , ditya moe rodnoe ,_

_Bayushki - bayu._

_Bogatyrʹ ty budeshʹ s vidu_

_I drakona dushoĭ ._

_Provozhatʹ tebya ya vyĭdu_

_Ty makhneshʹ rukoĭ ..._

_Skolʹko gorʹkikh slez ukradkoĭ_

_YA v tu nochʹ prolʹyu ! .._

_Spi , moĭ angel , tikho , sladko ,_

_Bayushki - bayu._

_Stanu ya toskoĭ tomitʹsya ,_

_Bezuteshno zhdatʹ ;_

_Stanu tselyĭ denʹ molitʹsya ,_

_Po nocham gadatʹ ;_

_Stanu dumatʹ , chto skuchaeshʹ_

_Ty v chuzhom krayu ..._

_Spi zh , poka zabot ne znaeshʹ ,_

_Bayushki - bayu... _

(Sleep, good boy, my beautiful,

Quietly the moon is looking

Into our den.

I will tell you fairy tales

And sing you little songs,

But you must slumber, with your little eyes closed,

The time will come, then you will learn

The brutality of life,

Boldly you'll sharpen claw and polish tooth

And enter battle.

The cloth for your banner

I will sew you from silk.

Sleep now, my dear little child,

You will look like a hero

And be a Dragon Lord deep in your heart.

I will hurry to accompany you,

You will just wave your hand

How many secret bitter tears

Will I shed that night!

Sleep, my angel, calmly, sweetly,

I will die from longing,

I will wait inconsolably,

I will pray the whole day long,

And at night I'll tell fortunes

I will think that you are in trouble

Far away in a foreign land.

Sleep now, as long as you don't know sadness or strife...)

The words of the song left Celestia cold, making her look as fragile as thin ice. As Twilight strained her ears to make out the meaning of the difficult language, she realized that this was the song a little Ajax heard every night before he fell asleep. It wasn't just a cultural artifact; the song exposed both Celestia's desire and sorrow to make a strong warrior out of the young dragon. She had succeeded all too well. Now, with her son's blood dripping down her horn and into her eyes, Celestia had at last put out that burning passion she had kindled so long ago in Ajax's heart.

She had laid him to rest one final time.

After the song was over, Celestia tenderly caressed the fallen dragon's spines and whispered Wyrmish into his ears. Twilight didn't know what her teacher was saying, but she could make out one plea Celestia continued to repeat.

"Forgive me."

Soon, the silence of Everfree prevailed once more, only to be shattered by a chorus of worried calls coming from the stairway.

"Twilight!"

"Twilight, where are ya now?"

"Shout if you're okay, dear!"

Happy beyond relief and surprised to hear her friends, Twilight rushed to clear the debris away from the stairs. Sure enough, behind all that rubble stood her five best friends.

"Girls, you're here! But how...the guard..."

At that moment, Twilight caught sight of Lightning trailing up the stairs. On his back was an injured soldier, a blue pegasus who seemed to be about her age.

"Lightning, how did you...the captain...your orders...?"

"Search for and protect the princesses of day and night, and guard the Elements of Harmony," the lieutenant replied, "Captain's orders, and I've followed them to a tee."

"But the last I saw your captain, he was about to kill Luna and imprison us!" Twilight said, "What could possibly have changed that stubborn pegasus' mind?"

"Philomena. Sound reason. S'mores."

"Really? Well then, where is he?"

"He died defending your friends," Lightning solemnly answered before pointing to the dragon's corpse, "from that."

Twilight looked in disbelief at Lightning before turning to her friends. Their somber expressions and lowered eyes, however, convinced the unicorn that her former guard was not lying to her. Thinking back, she tried to remember what she could about Braveheart before this horrific day started. The captain usually had an audience with Celestia before her lessons began and sometimes he patted her on the head on his way out. It wasn't really affectionate, at times it was actually kind of aggressive. As such, Twilight didn't know too much about him other than what her brother her about him (usually glowing military stories). The princess, however, had always shown a great respect for Braveheart and pressed Twilight to behave if ever the captain required her immediate council.

"Why...he had us put to the sword one moment, and then the next he decides to die for us?"

"Don't underestimate your friends." Lightning replied, "The power between you six is nothing short of amazing, and I think the captain saw that when they bravely defended one another from that devil dragon. I know I did."

Twilight turned to her friends. She had thought that they would be as happy as she was to reunite, but the shadow of death dampened any thoughts of celebration. Only Rainbow looked slightly all right. Pinkie, on the other hoof, appeared drained and lost.

"Are you girls okay? Ajax didn't hurt you, did he?" Twilight said in a worried tone, with special attention given to Pinkie.

"Nah Twi, we're fine." Applejack replied, "Just shakin' up a bit. But Ah'm mighty glad to see that yer in one piece."

"No kidding! Look at what Bozo the Gecko did to the castle!" Rainbow Dash said, "This place looks like an avalanche just hit it!"

"Twilight, is that...Princess Celestia cuddling up against that beast?" Rarity asked in dismay

"Ajax!" Fluttershy squeaked before trying to bolt. However, Rainbow Dash yanked her back before she could get very far.

"...It's a long story..." Twilight sighed, "I promise you can read about it in my book."

"I'd love to see it," the lieutenant said, "I'll need something good to read on my vacation."

"Lightning...I just want to say..."

"I can understand if you still hate me. I would too."

Twilight shook her head.

"No. Hate will get us nowhere. This crazy night brought out the very best and the very worst of everpony. You may have trounced on my liberties, but in the end you guided my friends back to me...without you...or even the captain...harmony couldn't be restored tonight."

"Twilight...when I said I wasn't sorry...it wasn't entirely true. I am in hindsight, it's just...I can't say I could do anything differently. Do you know what I mean?"

The unicorn nodded.

"I do. You can't sincerely say your sorry for doing something you thought at the time was right. I understand."

"Yeah, but I was wrong, and, looking ahead, I'll probably have to stand trial for it. I just want you to know that did I try to buy you time...but the cost was just too high for me. I had to let the captain come back."

"Braveheart..." Twilight muttered, "He might have been a jerk, but Celestia really loved him. I'd hate to break the news to her now, especially since her dragon died...she's so distressed right now."

"Lieutenant," the blue pegasus on Lightning's back interrupted, "please, could I have some water? If you could just put me down, I think I'll be fine..."

Complying with the injured soldier's request, Lightning placed the scout up against the wall.

"Heh, there went my shot, huh lieutenant?" Blizzard asked, "Braveheart'll never let me in after a sloppy job like that...I guess Ruby will have something to be happy about when I get home."

Lightning frowned a little, a bit unnerved that Blizzard didn't realize that the only reason he was alive was because the captain was dead. But the lieutenant had the mind not to hold it against the rookie.

"Kid, don't sweat it, you're already in. Braveheart didn't take you on a dangerous mission because he wanted to test you. He knew you'd be of value to him...and you were. You played your part. So rest up; you've got another one tomorrow."

Blizzard smiled as he closed his eyes.

"Imagine that. I pass out in front of a dragon and get on the guard...Braveheart's got some strange ideas about what a good soldier is."

"No, a good captain sees potential." Lightning sternly replied, "It doesn't take much to tell that you are brave. Few ponies have stood so firmly against a dragon. Don't sell that short."

"Heh, maybe you're right." Blizzard said, "Just tell the captain thanks for me. I'm sure he got me out of that jam and paid that lizard back..."

With that the soldier slinked off into sleep, leaving Twilight intrigued about what just happened between Braveheart and Ajax. As the student questioned her guard of what happened in the forest, Celestia and Luna looked over the dragon's wounds.

"I could have saved him, Luna," she replied distantly as she closed Ajax's remaining eye, "The Elements of Harmony could have purged him of his evil, just as it did for you. If only he had listened to me..."

"Celly...I didn't do this to him, you know." Luna said, "I brought down heaven and earth down upon him, and he escaped with only scratches. But these cuts...they run deep. What could have happened to him?"

Luna paused for a moment as an idea struck her.

"...Could your sword have done this?"

"...My sword..." Celestia muttered, "That is what he called me. If he were to die, it would be upon his own blade...he was his own doom..."

Celestia looked once more at the gash near Ajax's heart.

"There are few things that can pierce an ancient dragon's hide, you know that. What else could it be if it was not _la fleur du soleil_? But there is only one other who can carry it..."

"Your captain, Braveheart." Luna replied, "He brandished it against me. That was the last I saw of his impudence. But could an arrogant pegasus really do this to a dragon?"

Celestia was not surprised at the news of Braveheart's actions, her face remaining as grave as ever.

"No, not just a pegasus. Not when he held the weapon of his goddess."

Celestia turned to the red dragon's clenched claw.

"If there was a duel between the two of them, Ajax would have taken a prize."

Her heart beating, Celestia hesitated before yanking open Ajax's greedy claw with her magic. Falling to the floor with a clatter, a battered golden helm with a red plume rolled before stopping at the sun goddess' hooves. The captain's blood was still clear upon it. Breathing deeply, Celestia felt new grief grip and sting her.

"This test has taken too much away from me, Luna." the sun goddess solemnly said, "I knew my reckless action would steal away the lives of some of my subjects, but I did not expect it to drive so closely to my heart. I could've stopped it...I don't know...I don't know if I can really let go..."

Luna nuzzled Celestia intimately, hoping to comfort her sister.

"You can do it, I believe you can!" the moon goddess said with a tear in her eye, "I'm here for you, Celly. I know now that we can overcome this challenge together!"

Celestia shook her head, as if trying to free herself from her own demons. Stopping, she gave Luna a determined stare.

"You're right, Luna. It is about time we restored true harmony to the world. Twilight!"

Answering her teacher's call, the unicorn dashed to meet her, closely followed by her friends.

"Yes, princess?" Twilight asked as the others bowed.

"Assemble the Elements of Harmony and give my sister back what it rightfully hers."

"You heard her girls, time to form up!"

Getting into position, the six elements began to respond to one another. Glowing brightly, they emitted a bright flash of pure white light that engulfed Luna. As it faded in intensity, everypony could see that the white light remained concentrated around the moon goddess, bending and shaping her figure. Finally, the light dispersed, revealing Luna in all her divine glory. Healed of her wounds, Luna stood taller than before while her coat had become darker blue, just bordering on grey. But the most brilliant change was her beautiful starry mane that flowed more regally and majestically than even Celestia's.

Feeling her divinity run through her, Luna sighed in relief. It had worked.

"Sister, a year ago I asked you for your friendship." Celestia said, approaching the princess of the night, "Tonight, I ask you again for your friendship in the hopes that we can forgive one another and move forward together to make a better, more just world."

Luna smiled and hugged her sister tightly, a final tear escaping her eye.

"Yes, I accept your friendship. I promise to never abandon you again!"

Despite all the emotional trauma she suffered, Luna's response warmed Celestia's heart and gave her a new strength.

"I promise to you the same. Let us never be apart again."

Watching the familiar scene unfold, Pinkie Pie couldn't help but to be moved in the same way she did a year before. Bawling.

"Isn't it beautiful?" she asked Rarity.

"Dear, I don't want to be a wet blanket, but today has been too hard on me to celebrate. I'm responsible for a pony's death, and I watched another die not too long ago. Oh, and not just that, now I'm sitting in a room with a _dead dragon_. I'm relieved that their Royal Majesties have made up, [i]but really[/i]. I just want this dreadful night to be over."

"Ah agree with Rarity." Applejack said, "Ah can't take none of this no more. This whole drama's taken dangerous and weird to a whole 'nother level. Ah say we hit the hay now, Ah'm dead tired."

Applejack took a flask of water and raised it up.

"Here's to hopin' we can leave first thing in the morning, Ah'm startin' to worry for Big Mac an' Applebloom. Thank mah lucky stars Granny was outta town this week. "

"Well, I kind of thought it was fun." Rainbow Dash said casually, "Being an outlaw on the fly, bucking giant spiders with AJ, beating up stupid lizards...doesn't sound like a terrible day."

"Rainbow, could you not be any more insensitive?" Twilight chided, "Celestia loved Ajax, just try to respect the dead. For her."

"Whatever. Just desserts for what he did to Luna and the captain."

Twilight brought her hoof to her face, exasperated by Rainbow's insensitivity.

"Think if that was Spike, Rainbow, and show a little compassion."

"Okay...geez...I'm sorry. Nobody deserves to die..." Rainbow muttered, a bit sobered by the unicorn's suggestion.

"Oh my..." Fluttershy said, looking at the corpse, "...it's a shame, but it looks like he was nearing the end anyway. He lost a lot of blood when he fought the captain, it's likely he was thinking even less straight than usual."

"Thanks for the autopsy, doc..." Rainbow muttered under her breath, a little sore not just about Twilight's words, but her loss of immortality. If she didn't watch herself now, she could be in for a trip to the hospital.

"Princess Celestia, Princess Luna," Twilight called, gaining the sisters' attention, "Is it all right if my friends and I can sleep? We're all pretty exhausted."

"...Of course. The old servant chambers are still intact, you should be able to sleep comfortably there." Celestia responded before turning to Lightning, "Lieutenant, if you would guide them, the quarters are at the base of the tower."

"Yes, your Majesty." Lightning said as he bowed his head, "May I be of any other service?"

"If you have the wing power, I need you to deliver a message to Canterlot announce that I have been found safe and will return soon. I also want you to reconvene the last government. I have somethings I must address to parliament and the nation."

Celestia plucked and floated a feather to him.

"This is your proof, don't lose it."

"Yes, your Majesty."

Celestia gave a pregnant pause before continuing.

"But before that...if at all possible...I want you to send units to help retrieve Braveheart's remains. He does not deserve to buried in Everfree...No, he will have the simple grave of a soldier in the golden fields outside Canterlot. There he will be at peace in the company of his brothers and sisters who went before him..."

"Yes, your Majesty. I will do what I can."

With that, the Lightning dismissed himself to follow orders, taking the six friends with him and leaving Luna and Celestia alone. Walking back to the throne, Luna had a big question that remained.

"Why do you love the captain?" Luna asked, "If you fear power's abuse, you need only look to your left hoof. He has spent all day lording his authority over the ponies in his hunt for me. Why should you trust him?"

"...For the same reasons I loved and trusted Ajax..." Celestia muttered, "He was like many before him; a brother and son to me when I had no one else in the world. Who better to carry out my will then ponies like him? But I fear tonight tested Braveheart beyond what I would normally expect him of. It was the same trial that had broken Ajax, but it seems that he was not entirely conquered by his hatred. Had he given into temptation, this world would be destroyed."

Celestia sighed and gave her sister a faint smile.

"I learned from my mistakes. I made sure that Braveheat's loyalty was not only owed to me, but to his soldiers and my subjects as well. I fostered that love he wanted to suppress, even if that cost him a few missions. He could be somewhat ruthless, but never more than my Mishka..."

Luna mulled over what Celestia had to say about Braveheart. Admittedly, she knew little of the captain at court. She usually had kept her distance away from soldiers. Perhaps had she paid attention, she could see the qualities her sister spoke of. As it was, she had little proof of his benevolence, only his malevolence. But her trust in Celestia was being restored. She would take her sister's word and see into the matter later. But for now, Luna only wanted to be with her sister as they prepared to bring in the new day.

The two sisters nuzzled up to one another with Celestia's head resting atop Luna's shimmering mane and her white wings wrapped around them. Looking outside the window, the two watched as the harsh, icy wind blew the freshly fallen snow across Everfree. They reflected in the silence of their hearts the many trials overcome, the many sins they committed, and their new found hope for a better world.

At last the moment had come, both sisters felt nature's summonings. With a heavy sigh, Luna finally lowered the moon below the horizon while Celestia raised the sun, its marvelous rays giving light and life to the world once more. The golden dawn was incredible in its beauty; never had Luna seen her sister paint such a delightful canvas of reds, oranges, violets, and indigos. It was almost (almost) as impressive as her cosmic masterpieces. Hearing the happy crooning of a phoenix behind her, Luna looked up to see the reborn Philomena perched atop Celestia's head. The bird was clearly happy to greet the dawn too.

Celestia smiled and looked from her phoenix to her sister.

"A new day is born."

Luna laughed, her eyes glistening in the morning light as she replied.

"Let it last forever!"


End file.
